Life's Perfect Balance
by tayaMH
Summary: I love you... I told you before I can't be with you...even though I want to be. A story of love and of the perfect blance that lies between good and evil. There is no Evil without good and there is no good without evil.
1. The Begining

**chapter 1: The beginning**

The sun was hot on his face as he stood there waiting for the next attack. It came he jumped out of the way, barley missing the assault. He landed smoothly and turned to his adversary. His fur was covered with lazar burns; his body covered with cuts and gashes, his vision was blurred by the blood filling his eyes that had trickled down his face from the large cut over his right eye. He was barley standing but he refused to back down. He wiped a steady stream of blood that ran from his mouth. He continued to stare at his opponent. His challenger was the last of many he had been fight for the past few hours now. His enemy was not of flesh and blood but of cold heartless steal. He had been fighting numerous amounts of them and he was finally down to the last one, but he wasn't sure if he had the strength to take another step, let alone fight an undamaged and armed robot. He tried to make a move for the robot but when he did every fiber, every cell, in his body cried out in pain, causing him to drop to the ground where he stood. The robot which oddly resembled him scanned the creator and was recording some sort of data.

"Subject: Knuckles, Fighting level: 4.5 on scale of 1 to 5, Attacks: fire dunk, fireball jump, super punch, fire punch, and also possess martial arts skills, Objective: destroy." It said as it scanned Knuckles.

Knuckles looked up, the sun was too bright for him to see the robot right out all he could see was the basic out line of his enemy, he was trying to get up but his body wouldn't allow it. The robot pointed his arm at Knuckles and it transformed into a powerful lazar cannon.

"Prepare to meet your fate." It said coldly and began to power up the lazar.

Just as the lazar began to ignite from the cannon, the robot's arm was knocked from its body to the ground. Knuckles couldn't see who it was; he could only see a faint outline of his savior. Who ever it was stood back up and got into a fighting position. The robot was doing a systems scan on its self.

"68 damage return to base for repairs." It said as its rocket boosters engaged and it flew off into the distance.

The figure that had saved Knuckles began to approach him he still couldn't see who it was clearly, and he was losing his consciousness fast. The last thing he heard before completely blanking out was, "don't worry Knuckles, you'll be all right, you'll be all right."


	2. Waking up

**chapter 2: Waking up**

Deep in the heart of the city there was a penthouse on the top of the Sun Set apartment complex, and in it was Knuckles he was still unconscious and laying on the couch and was covered with bandages. Someone entered the room it was none other than Rouge. She had been the one who saved Knuckles back in the forest. She sat down on the edge of the couch and looked at Knuckles. She took her hand and gently pushed his dreads out of his face, and gazed upon it.

"How is it when you're sleeping you can be almost cute, but when your awake your just a pain in the butt?" She said softly as she looked for anymore wounds on his body.

She found there were none so she turned her attention back to Knuckle's face. She moved a little closer, gazing upon his handsome face. She was still getting closer to him, when she realized what was happing ideas began to race through her mind. _"What am I doing this is Knucklehead, I couldn't possibly be attracted too him."_

As she still continued to get closer despite her mind's thoughts, Knuckles was beginning to stir he could sense her presences and was starting to wake up. He slightly opened his eyes to see that Rouge's face was only a few inches away from his own. When Rouge saw that his eyes were open she shot up and looked at him as her face flushed a light pink.

"Wha, what were you doing?" Knuckles asked as he rubbed his aching head.

"Oh I was just checking the banged above your eye, is all." She lied as she turned away trying to regain her composer.

"Ow my head, it's killing me." Knuckles said in pain.

"Well after what you've been through what would you expect?" Rouge asked as she headed into the kitchen.

Knuckles was in to much pain to argue wit her right now so he just let it go. He still held his head in pain he was also burning up, most likely from all the stress on his body. Soon Rouge had returned from the kitchen with a small wooden bowl and a small towel. She sat down next to him again; she dunked the towel into the bowl of water, and then gently began to compress it to Knuckles face. He clenched is teeth as he tried to hide the pain, then his eyes opened slowly as he felt the cool water from the towel on his face, he blushed a bit as he saw Rouge's smiling face as she continued her task. He was slightly wide eyed at how nice she was being to him he though it to be somewhat strange, but he liked it especially her smile, it was very warm and friendly. As she cooled his forehead with the water she looked at him and began to speak.

"Don't get use to this kind of treatment, knucklehead." She said as she giggled at his bewildered look.

"Very funny, but I want to know, why did you help me?" He asked as he looked at her with bewilderment.

"Well its not like I could have just left you out there in that condition, despite what you may think I'm not completely heatless, I mean would you have left me out there like that?" She asked, as she stroked the side of his face gently.

"No I guess I wouldn't of." He said, as he looked back up her.

"You guess." She mocked as she gave him an offended look.

"Okay, I wouldn't have left you out there." He said finally.

"What were you doing out there anyway?" Rouge asked as she began soothing his face again.

Knuckles face turned hard as his memory of what he had been doing fled back to him. He began to think what all had happened only this morning.

FLASH BACK

Knuckles had been doing nothing of importance that morning; he was just practicing his attacks and things of that nature, when suddenly the Master Emerald had begun to glow. It was acting strange it was no longer green one side was glowing black the other white. Knuckles slowly approached it. Then as he was about to touch it a black light shot from the dark side of the Master Emerald and into the sky Knuckles looked back at the Master Emerald. The emerald itself was now solid white. Something else was about to come out of it, this time a white light came out and it stopped right beside him and began to form what seemed to be another echidna. When it finally took full form it was an echidna and it looked similar to Knuckles accept he was solid white, he had black metal bands on his dreads, the crest on his chest was black instead of white, and his eyes were the most noticeable they were solid black and seemed almost soles. The strange new echidna looked at Knuckles for a moment then began to speak.

"Hello Knuckles."

"Who, who are you?" Knuckles asked as he eyed the strange echidna.

"I' am Ying." He answered.

"What exactly just happened?" Knuckles asked as he scratched his head in confusion.

"Did you see a dark beam of light exit the Master Emerald?" Ying asked as he looked at the Master Emerald behind Knuckles which was now a clear glassy color as if lifeless.

"Yes." Knuckles answered as he wondered where all this was leading.

"I was afraid of that." Ying said as he looked at the ground as if trying to think.

"Afraid of what, what's going on here?" Knuckles demanded.

"I knew I couldn't hold him there forever, anyway I guess I do owe you an explanation." "You see the Master Emerald has a delicate balance between things just like life." "I' am Ying, and I represent the good in the Master Emerald and the dark light you saw before that was the dark side, Yang he represents the evil in the Master Emerald and together we balance each other out, and without him I will not exist much longer and without me neither will he, evil can not exist with out good and good can not exist without evil." "And with out us to balance out the Master Emerald's raw power and energy…well let's just say the results would be catastrophic." He said as he continued to look at the ground.

"What can we do?" Knuckles asked as he crossed his arms and looked at the other echidna.

"We'll have to track him down, and then beam him and myself back into the shell of the master emerald, to restore its balance." Ying answered.

"How can we find him?" Knuckles asked.

"Will need to find a chaos emerald it will help us sense Yang's power pulsations."

END FLASH BACK


	3. Feelings

**CHAPTER 3: FEELINGS**

When he and Ying had started their search for a chaos emerald they were suddenly attacked by egghead's robots, and that had been where Rouge saved him.

Knuckles tried to sit up, and was failing miserably.

"Knuckles stop, if you don't rest and you try to finish whatever it was that you started you'll get hurt even more, and make things even worse than they already are." Rouge said as she gently pushed him back down.

Knuckles looked at her for moment he thought he could actually see concern in her eyes. He listened to her and lay back down, and then she got up and was taking the bowl and towel back to the kitchen. When she disappeared into the kitchen Knuckles began to try to get up again, but he fell back to the couch. As he lay there he thought he heard someone calling him. He looked around and then, it hit him he pulled out the Master Emerald that he had shrunk down into a easier caring size and saw Ying's reflection staring back at him from within it.

"Knuckles you need to listen to Rouge she's right and maybe consider finding out if she as any emeralds as well, I have to go." And then his reflection began to phase away.

"Wait Ying I can't just-." Knuckles tried to say something but Ying was already gone.

Knuckles just put the Master Emerald away and tried to relax. Rouge soon reentered the room, and Knuckles became a little tense. Rouge noticed it and thought it amusing. She thought maybe she'd have a little fun with Knuckles. She walked in front of him and gave a hot smile. Knuckles looked at her strangely. She bent down next to him and ran her fingers through his dreads and then down the side of his face. She smiled as he began to blush a very noticeable light pink. Rouge thought that she was only playing with Knuckles but the more she did it the more cereous she became, she was having new sensations she was having a tingling feeling in side that she had never felt before it made her feel weak but she liked it all the same. Knuckles was feeling strange to, he liked the attention he was getting from Rouge, but he wasn't sure if he could trust her he wanted to trust her so much but he didn't know if he could. Unknown to the two they were both being watched from a window. A pair of soles robotic eyes watched the two as it took in data.

"Data log complete, Knuckles you have just sealed your own fate." A robotic voiced said in a harsh whisper, before disappearing into the dark of the night.

"Rouge, I um." He was trying to find away out of this but there were none.

But Rouge showed mercy and gave him his salvation. She stood back up and then walked up the stairs, and entered her room. She stared at her reflection in the mirror.

"What's happing to me, I have never had this feeling before it makes me weak yet I enjoy it and why do these feelings keep bring me back to Knuckles?" She said as she touched her reflection.

Knuckles on the other hand was mentally kicking himself for letting it happen. "Why did I let that happen, I can't have any kind of feelings for her, I'm on mission, personal problems aside, I need to get back to it."

He tried to get up again and this time he succeeded. He saw a sliding glass door and approached it; he gently opened it and stepped out on to the balcony. He needed to run he couldn't stay here; he had the fate of the world resting on his shoulders and that is a terrible weight to hold all on ones own. At least that was his excuse for leaving; his reason for leaving went much deeper than that. The real reason was that he was scared, he was scared of her, scared of those feelings she gave him. He ripped the bandages from his body and then jumped on to the railing of the balcony he looked back and then out into the open sky, he heard something, he looked up and saw Rouge taking a seat on the edge of the roof. She seemed sad, he had never seen Rouge that way, he did a few jumps and landed next to her, and she was surprised at first but didn't say anything. He sat down beside her and stared down at the busy streets below. Rouge turned to him and then began to speak.

"I guess you'll leave now."

He merely nodded his head in response. Knuckles stood up followed by Rouge. She turned to him and took his hand in her own.

"Knuckles I want you too have this."

When she removed her hands from his, he found she had placed a red chaos emerald in his hands. She just smiled as he looked back at her wide eyed.

"Why are you giving this to me Rouge?" Knuckles was curious towards the fact that Rouge was giving up a most prized possession to him, of all people.

"Just take it, and don't asked questions." She said as she gave him a wink.

Knuckles just shook his head and gave a smooth smile and then he took to the air in a graceful glide. He turned his head to see her one more time, then he turned to see that the sun was now peeking over the horizon; he just smiled and kept gliding. Rouge stood there watching him until he was completely out of sight. She took a step closer to the edge of the roof she wanted so bad to just take off and go with him; she didn't know where he was going and tunefully she didn't really care she just wanted to go with him. She could here to voices in head fighting over what to do.

"_Go, go with him_." One screamed.

"_Forget it; let him go he's just a burden…he makes you weak_" Another yelled.

She backed away from the edge of the roof and turned her back, she fell to her knees and then she lay down gently and she could feel the heat of the morning sun on her clean white fur and she could also feel the exestuation that filled her body so she slowly began falling into a deep sleep. The last word that escaped her lips before she was fully asleep was his name, "Knuckles."


	4. Seeing your face

**CHAPTER 4: SEEING YOUR FACE **

Knuckles was now flying over a small forest and he found a clear spot within it. He dropped easily on to the soft green grass, and brought out the Master Emerald, and a white light shot out of it and Ying reappeared in front of him.

"Ying, look Rouge gave this to me." Knuckles showed the beautiful red emerald to Ying.

"Yes that's perfect now when ever you are close to something that has strong power pulsations or something that can create a strong power pulse it will glow a bright red." Ying said as he took the emerald from Knuckle's hand and eyed it carefully.

The two continued into the forest, as they headed deeper into the forest the emerald began to pulse very lightly just barley enough to tell them they were headed in at least the right direction. Now the sky was turning dark red and it was getting late in the evening.

"We've gone far enough for one day we need some rest." Ying said as he stared searching the ground for a good place to sleep.

"Are you sure we should stop?" Knuckles asked as he looked at Ying.

"Yes, there's no use trying to travel through the forest in the dead of nigh." Ying said as he sat down in the spot he had found most comfortable.

"I guess you have a point." Knuckles agreed as he lay in a spot a few feet away from Ying.

Knuckles had a dream that night.

DREAM

He found himself in a field of wild flowers. He hear a girlish giggle he looked all around and found nothing, he heard it again and then turned around and he saw Rouge standing there, her hand on her hip and the other waving at Knuckles in a lighthearted fashion. He smiled at her and began to run toward her playfully and in response she began to run away, looking over her shoulder every so often to see how close her chaser was getting. Then all of sudden the clear blue sky turned dark and the two stopped running, and began to stare, but then Knuckles heard a familiar voice, he turned to see that it was Ying. He was yelling something to him but Knuckles couldn't hear him over the loud shaking of the ground. At that moment the ground began to crack and it started to spilt, Knuckles jumped back avoiding the fall, but Rouge wasn't quite so lucky she had started stepping backwards but she wasn't quick enough and the ground under her feet caved in and she began to fall into the dark depths of the chasm.

"Rouge!" Knuckles yelled as he ran to the side of the chasm.

He found that she was able to grab the edge of a jagged rock; her life was hanging by a thread now. He reached out a hand to her she was trying to grab it but she was slipping further and further away, and she was losing more and more of her grip with each passing second. Knuckles reached his arm as far as he could trying to reach her, and then when he was only a few inches away from her, Knuckles heard the most evil, and spin chilling laugh than ever thought possible. He looked down into the darkness of the chasm and saw a huge pair of solid white eyes, and they stared at him as the evil laugh grew louder and louder.

END OF DREAM

Knuckles woke up in a cold sweat he looked over at Ying who was sleeping soundly. Knuckles just ran his hand across his face and whipped away the sweat. He lay back down and gazed up at the stars. He muttered something under his breath as he fell back into a more peaceful sleep. "I hope you're safe."

The sun was rising, in the early morning sky. Rouge awoke sleepily and rubbed her eyes, for a second she thought she saw Knuckles standing at the top of the roof waving at her, but she knew that it wasn't real when his essence began to phase away, and then disappeared completely. She stood up and stretched and then gently floated down on to her bedroom balcony, and walked over and took a seat in front of her vanity. She stared into the mirror, but it dazed her when she thought she saw Knuckles face staring back at her, and she thought she was going crazy when she heard Knuckles soft soothing voice say her name. She shook her head and looked back into the mirror and this time saw her own reflection.

"Ah why am I seeing your face every time I turn around?" She asked out loud as she held her head. "I don't care what happens I'm going after Knuckles." She said as she stood up and headed down stairs.

She grabbed a black shoulder bag, and began to stuff supplies into it. When she was satisfied with her previsions, she went back to the roof and looked in the direction Knuckles had gone in the night before.

"I don't know where you are Knuckles or where you're going but I will find you." She said as she took off towards the horizon.

Knuckles was just getting up he looked around Ying was no where to be found. So Knuckles just got up and was walking a little ways into the forest, he remembered a river they had past a little ways back and he wanted a drink. As he walked through the forest he kept seeing visions of Rouge as he walked he'd see her peek out from behind a tree or something, but he realized that she wasn't real when he would walk towards her and she would gradually disappear. He finally reached the river, he knelt down and took some water into his hands and drunk it. When he finished he turned his attention to his reflection and just as Rouge saw his face, Knuckles found Rouge's reflection staring back at him and he also thought he heard her say his name. He hit the water and the ripples took away the reflection. When the water was still again Knuckles saw that his reflection was his own once more.

"Why, why do see you everywhere I go?" "Why do I feel so protective of you, why dose everything I see remind me of you in some way?" He yelled as he held his head in confusion. "I don't know what's happing to me but I will find out."

Knuckles finally recollected himself and began to head back to see if he could meet up with Ying. When Knuckles finally reached the spot he had slept in the night before he found that Ying had returned.

"Knuckles I found an actual direction to go in, we have to head north, that is where the pulsations seem to be the strongest according to the chaos emerald."

"Ok let's get going."

The two didn't get far, when they were once again surrounded by a swarm of robots they all resembled Knuckles accept that they were all black and they all had the same pair of red glowing robotic eyes.

"Where did they come from and what do they want?" Knuckles asked as he looked at the robots.

"They were sent by Yang." Ying said as he took a step towards them.

"How do you know?" Knuckles asked as he put his fists up in a fighting style.

"They were all made to have his appearance, there are some differences but you can't miss it when you live with him for over ten thousand years, you tend to know what he looks like." He answered as he jumped into the air and did a fancy kick destroying one of the robots.

Now the battle had started. Knuckles took out two robots at once, one on each fist. He picked up a robot and threw it into a tree taking out another robot as it went flying through the air. Ying wasn't doing to bad either he used moves similar to Knuckle's, and was doing just as much damage. Finally they were down to the last robot.

"I'm here to tell you, to surrender, or else." The robot said to them.

"And what if we don't?" Knuckles said as he stared at the robot with rebellious eyes.

"Then 'she' will pay the price." It answered.

"Who is 'she?'" Knuckles asked dreading the answer.

"The bat, cooperate and she want be harmed, you don't and she won't live long enough to see the full moon this evening."

"How do we even know you have her?" Ying yelled as he looked at the robot with disgust.

"We have a fleet of highly armed robots picking her up from her apartment as we speak." The robot answered coldly.

"No." Was all that escaped Knuckle's lips.

"It wasn't that hard, you two neglected to destroy the last of us from our previous battle and he was smart enough to follow the batgirl and find out where she was taking you and to gather whatever other data he could." Of coarse the robot was speaking of his brother another echidna robot that got its arm kicked off by Rouge but it had followed her to see what it could learn about her connection to his target.

Before the robot could continue it's gloating its head was chopped of by Ying. Knuckles didn't waste a second more; he turned and began to run.

"Knuckles where are you going?" Ying asked as he turned to see Knuckles running off.

"Maybe I can still save her, I'm going back." Knuckles yelled as he continued to run.

The two ran the whole way but they finally reached Rouge's apartment. Knuckles jumped to the roof and then to Rouge's bedroom balcony. He found broken glass everywhere as he stepped through the broken glass door. The place was a wreck. Everything was broken in some way the place had been torn apart by the fleet of robots.

"Rouge, Rouge!" Knuckles yelled as he looked through the piles of ruble and in all the rooms of the house.

He finally returned to her bedroom, as he began to walk back towards the door he saw something on the floor that was covered with broken glass. It was a picture of Rouge and himself from the celebration party the gang had, had after the destruction of the egg force one and egg emperor. Rouge had her arm around Knuckles neck playfully and Knuckles had his arm around her. He remembered when the picture was taking, he thought of her as just a friend then, but now he felt that she was so much more, but he wouldn't bring himself to admit it. He brushed the broken glass away and took the picture form the broken frame and tucked it way on his person and headed outside and onto the roof, where he found Ying waiting for him.

"Find anything?" Ying asked as he stared into the horizon.

"No." Knuckles said as he headed for the edge of the roof. "But I swear, I will find her and if Yang as hurt her he will pay with his life." He said as he began to glide north followed by Ying.


	5. Where are you?

Sorry if this chapter is a little short but don't forget to review so I can write more.

**CHAPTER 5: WHERE ARE YOU?**

Knuckles glided through the air, as the thought of Rouge plagued his mind. He couldn't grasp the reason why he cared for Rouge so much, or why he was so protective over her, all he knew was that he cared and try as he might he couldn't just ignore his feelings any longer. It was soon night fall again and Ying landed in the top branches of a tall tree. But Knuckles didn't land he kept right on gliding. He was so tired he thought he would fall out of the sky any second, but he refused to stop.

"Knuckles wait." Ying said taking back to the sky and back to Knuckle's side. "There's no way we're going to make it on a nonstop trip, you need some rest, and you can barely hold your eyes open."

"But I need to save Rouge." Knuckles said in a tired voice.

"Well traveling like this isn't helping now lets find a place to stop for the night and we'll continue towards Yang's hideout first thing in the morning."

"Okay, but we leave **first** thing."

"Of course Knuckles, now let's get some sleep." Ying said as he glided to the ground.

AT YANG'S BASIS

A black robot was waiting outside a door, for his orders to come in. Finally he heard a deep voice over the intercom that said, "Enter F113."

The robot entered the room. It could not see the life form that stood in the shadowed corner of the room, there was no light, all that was seen was a pair of glowing white eyes of the unknown life form, and the red gleaming eyes of the robot.

"Did you capture the girl?" The deep voice inquired.

"No sir." The robot answered.

"What?" The life form fumed as its eyes grew wide with anger.

"When we arrived to capture the bat, we tore the house apart but found she was already gone, master."

"I want you to find her, without her we have no hold over my brother, or Knuckles, now get out of my sight you worthless peace of scrap metal." He yelled.

"Yes sir." With that the robot left the room, gathered a small squadron of robots and headed out on the search and capture mission.

WITH ROGUE

"Yep, Knuckles was defiantly here." Rouge said as she looked at the punch and barb marks on what was left of the small robot armada that had attacked them earlier.

Rouge looked around the area; all she really saw were parts and peaces of robots that had been thrown everywhere. She was walking past one of the robots that was still online and it scared her when it grabbed her leg. It couldn't really hurt her seeing as its legs were torn off and it only had its head and one arm left.

"Hey, let go you hunk of junk!" She yelled as she tossed what was left of the robot into a tree.

The robot slammed against the tree and the impact must have caused it to activate some sort of function. Because it started playing a recording of Knuckles and Ying that it had traced before it and it's fleet attacked them. She sprinted over to the robot and kneeled down in front of it and began to listen.

"Ying are you sure this is the right way?" Rouge would recognize that voice anywhere she knew it was Knuckles but she didn't know who the other voice was only that Knuckles called him Ying.

"Yes Knuckles, we just need to keep heading north."

Then before Rouge could hear anymore the voices began to crackle and then they broke up completely, and the robot went offline.

"Well I didn't get much out of that but at least I have a direction to go in now." She said as she turned to the north and began to glide. The night sky was at its peak of darkness, as Rouge continued to fly through the sky, she was so tired but she knew she needed to get as far as possible tonight if she was going to catch up with Knuckles. She had been flying and hadn't stopped since she had begun and hadn't gotten any sleep, and now she was dozing off while in flight.

"I've gotta stay a wake." She kept telling herself.

Knuckles had woken up and was standing at the edge of lake he had found while wondering around in the dark. He was focusing on the reflection of the moon on the still water of a lake. He closed his eyes as he crossed his arms and was thinking. Rouge was only a few feet way from the spot where Knuckles was. She was so tired she couldn't go on. She closed her eyes, as her body began to plunge towards the ground. All of sudden Knuckles eyes flung open as he heard the sound of something cutting through the night air, something like wings. But it was too late he was slammed to the ground by someone. He lay face down on the dirt, someone lay on top of him, he wasn't sure if they were still conscious though.

"Who… Rouge?" But Knuckles trailed off when he saw who had knocked him down.

He turned over and sat up with Rouge in his arms. She had been somewhat a sleep but the crash slightly fazed her. She opened her eyes slightly as she tried to see who was holding her, but her vision was blurry at the moment. Knuckles was amazed, he thought Rouge had been captured, but she was just fine accept for the fact that she had just crashed into him form lack of sleep.

Kn- Knuckles is that you?" She said as she looked up at him he was just a blur of red at the moment.

"Yea, don't worry you're going to be fine, I'll take-"But he was cut of by Rouge.

"No, Knuckles please, pleased don't take me home please, let me stay with you." She pleaded as she grasped his hand in her own, and her eyes became a little watery as she pushed her face closer to his chest.

"Okay, okay, don't worry you can stay with me." He said as he pulled her closer. The two sat there holding each other close for a few moments, and then Knuckles noticed that she was asleep. He picked her up bridal style and walked over and sat down underneath a weeping willow tree. He sat her next to him. Then he began to blush a bit when her head fell on his shoulder and she got a little closer. But he didn't move her he just lay his head on top of hers and fell into a peaceful sleep, as he watched the many branches of the willow dance in the night breeze.


	6. The Swim

**CHAPTER 6: THE SWIM **

The next morning Knuckles awoke to see that Rouge wasn't where he had left her the night before. He turned his head in all directions looking for her. Then all of a sudden Rouge's face appeared right in front of his only it was upside-down. Rouge was hanging from a branch above his head.

"High there sleepy head." Rouge said as she smiled at Knuckles, who nearly jumped out of his skin, when she did that.

"Ah hey." He said as he took in a deep breath and sunk back against the tree trunk.

"Ahhh I didn't scare you did I?" She asked as she snickered a little.

"You wish batgirl." He answered as he shut his eyes.

"Whatever Knucklehead." She said as she jumped down from the branch and snatched up her black shoulder bag. "I think I have an idea that might make you smile." She said as she walked into the forest.

"Where are you going?" Knuckles asked as he looked in her direction.

"Don't you worry about that, I will be right back and don't even think of following me, do it and die." She said as she disappeared into the forest.

Knuckles was quite curious, but he heeded her warning and didn't follow. Instead he walked over to the water's edge and sat down by it and stared at his reflection, he noticed that he wasn't seeing Rouge or hearing her voice calling him. He also noticed that it only stopped when he and Rouge were together again. But his thoughts were soon disrupted by Rouge who was calling him.

"Hey Knucklehead." She shouted as she stepped out from the forest. When she emerged she was wearing deep purple colored two peace bathing suite. She took the black shoulder bag and threw it next to the tree they had slept under the night before.

Then she walked towards Knuckles who was staring with a face as red as his fur. She sat down next to him and then gently began to ease into the water. "Ahh this is cold!" She weld.

Then she took a deep breath and disappeared beneath the water's surface. Knuckles eyes wondered for her, but he didn't see her. Then she popped out of the water and was floating in front of Knuckles. "Come on in, it's not so bad once you get use to it." She said as she smiled at the echidna.

"Not a chance batgirl." Knuckles said as he turned his head way from her.

Then Knuckles felt a hand pull his face back to its previous position. Rouge had came closer and pulled his face back so he was looking her in the eye. "And why not?" She asked as she gave him a smooth smile.

"Well I um…" He was trying to come up with a reason but Rouge decided to cut him off.

"Never mine you don't really have a choice anyway." She said getting even closer.

"What do you mean by that?" Knuckles asked as he sweat dropped at her closeness.

She just continued to get closer and closer till their faces were only inches apart. She took her other hand and picked up one of his hands up in her own.

"Because…OF THIS!" She yelled as she pulled him by his arm into the cold water.

Knuckles resurfaced and looked around for Rouge. Rouge lifted her head slight out of the water so only her eyes were showing and looked at Knuckles. "That's it; I'll get you for that!" He yelled at her. Rouge stood up out of the water too.

"And just what do you plan to do about it from there?" She asked as she dived back down into the water and began to swim further out into the lake.

"You just wait!" He yelled as began to swim after her.

The two were taking a brief seize fire, Rouge was floating on her back and Knuckles was doing the same. Then Knuckles decided to strike up a conversation.

"Rouge I thought you were captured by a fleet of robots, were you captured and you escaped or were you never captured in the first place?" Knuckles asked as he stood up in the water and looked at her for an answer.

"I was never captured, why do you think that?"

"Well we were attacked by some robots in the forest and they said they were at your home at that very moment capturing you, and when I went back to find you the placed was trashed and you were gone." He said as he looked at her.

"No I must had already left when they came for me."

"Why did you leave anyway?" Knuckles wondered what she was doing way out here miles from civilization, it wasn't really her style.

Rouge blushed as she as stood up and stared at her reflection in the water, "I, I… was looking for you." She said as she turned her sights to Knuckles who only smiled at her.

"Why were you looking for me?" Knuckles couldn't think of any reason she would be looking for him.

"I, I don't know I just wanted to see you that's all." She said as she turned her back to him and bit her lip. "Is that a crime or something?" She asked as she kept her eyes fixed on her reflection.

"No I just…never mind." And then Knuckles ran at her and pushed her into the water.

"AHHHHHHHHHHHH Knuckles!" she yelled as she slammed into the water.

The two had been playing around like that the entire day, and they each loved every second of it. But soon the day was coming to an end once more. Rouge swam up behind Knuckles and dunked him again. But this time he remerged behind her and picked her up bridal style again and threw her back into the water.

"Okay, okay you win." Rouge shouted when she resurfaced only to see that Knuckles was coming at her again.

"That's what I thought you'd say." Knuckles said with smirk.

Rouge began to swim for shore she waded out of the water and over to her black bag. It wasn't long before Knuckles was out of the water and was shaking the water out of his fur. Rouge had dug through her bag and found a towel and was drying off too. When she was as dry as she could get with a towel she walked back into the woods once again.

"Remember what I said." She warned as she disappeared into forest once more.

"How could I forget?" Knuckles said under his breath as he walked back towards the willow tree.


	7. Will we ever be together

I am really sorry that all my chapters are so short. I'll try to make up for it soon okay.

**CHAPTER 7: WILL WE EVER BE TOGETHR**

When Rouge returned she saw that Knuckles had started a fire. She walked over and sat down in front of it. She scooted a little closer to him. She took his arm and gently nuzzled her face against it. "Hey thanks for reminding me how to have fun."

He just smiled and nodded. Rouge closed her eyes and nuzzled a little closer to him. Knuckles blushed as she did so, but then he pulled away from her and stood up and walked over to the edge of the lake and crossed his arms as he looked out over the clam peaceful water.

"What's wrong?" Rouge asked as she watched him walk away.

"Nothing, I just, can't do this." He said as he looked at the ground in despair.

"What do you mean?" She asked as got up and walked over to stand beside him.

"What I mean is…'us', we can't be together, we are to different, I'm a guardian and I am bound to the master emerald for eternity, and you you're the world's greatest treasure hunter going where ever you please, we could never happen." He said as small tears welled up in his eyes.

"I, I understand." She said as she took his hand in her own. "But if you ever need me, I will always be here for you." She said as she looked down to the ground as a small tear escaped down her cheek.

Knuckles took his free hand and slowly wiped the tear from her face. "And I will always be here for you." He said as he smiled.

Knuckles was being torn apart on the inside all he wanted was right in front of him, but he knew he could not have her, to love her would do her harm, and he could not stand the thought of hurting Rouge, he truly loved her but his love would for ever remain a secret from the world, from himself, and from her.

Then all of sudden Ying appeared out of no where. "Knuckles I hate to interrupt, but we must depart, I know it's late but I have a fix on Yang's hide out, and we-"He stopped talking when he saw Rouge standing there holding Knuckle's hand. "I thought you were-"

"No she was already gone when the robots got there." Knuckles said as he dropped her hand and stared walking toward Ying. "Lets get going then."

"Knuckles." Rouge said as her eyes still watered and she wore a sad face as she looked at him. "I want to go with you."

"But Rouge."

"Knuckles please, I understand what you said but please let me go with you." She begged as she looked at him longingly.

"If you wish it." He said as he continued to walk towards Ying.

"Knuckles I have fixated the location of Yang's hide out, he is very far north of here, if we just keep heading in this direction we will hit his headquarters soon, but I must warn you its going to get cold very cold, Yang has many powers and one of them is make everything around him die, or miserable and nothing dose that better than freezing temperatures, so when we reach snow we will officially be in his territory." He said as he began jumping from branch to branch in a tree till he reached the top and then he took to the sky, followed by Knuckles and Rouge.

As they flew Rouge was very curious and she decided to play twenty questions. "Knuckles I'm just taking a while guess but this friend of yours his name is Ying, right?" She asked as she looked at the echidna in front of her.

"Yes, how did you know?" Knuckles asked as he looked at Rouge.

"Well remember those robots you smashed back in the forest?"

"Yea."

"Well one of them was still online and when I went to smash it I must have activated some sort of recording device and it played a recording of you and Ying and that's also how I managed to find you." "But tell me where are you headed and who is this Yang I am hearing so much about?"

Knuckles just decided to give Rouge the entire story, from when Ying and Yang were released from the Master Emerald to where they were headed now. Rouge took in the story and was amazed.

"So Ying do you have any family at all?" Rouge asked as she flew up next him.

"Not really, all I have is a brother." "You know how they say keep your friends close and your enemies closer?"

"Yes" She answered.

"That's how close Yang and I are."

"You, mean he…he's your brother!" Rouge said in astonishment.

"Yes." He said simply.

The three had been flying for a while now and the sun had risen a few hours ago, and it was now mid day. Rouge was getting drowsy again. She let her eyes close and then her body was slowly losing altitude. Knuckles flew under her and she rested on his back. He only smiled as he looked at the sleepy bat.

"Rouge wake up you can't sleep and fly at the same time, you've tried that already." He said playfully.

Rouge opened her eyes and took flight once again. She looked at Knuckles and gave a smile.


	8. A new friend and maybe more

**CHAPTER 8: A NEW FRIEND AND MAYBE MORE**

But just then another swarm of evil robots appeared out of nowhere and had the bat and two echidnas surrounded.

"Not them again." Knuckles said as he raised his fists ready to kick some metal butt.

"We require the bat, and nothing more." The lead robot requested.

"Well I'd like to see you just try and take me." Rouge said as she crossed her arms and smirked at the robots as she hovered in the air.

"Very well then." The robot answered and the fleet began its attack.

The battle was intense, especially since it was in the air. The robots had a slight advantage over them, because they had jets that made them fly, but Rouge, Knuckles, and Ying had to rely on air currents and such for their flight. The fight raged on for hours on end. Rouge kicked one of the robots out of the sky and into a tree where it smashed into a thousand pieces. But Rouge didn't see the robot coming at her from behind, her sensitive ears heard something coming she turned but only to see that it was to late the robot tackled her and she began to plummet to the ground. But Rouge was saved by someone she didn't know. It was girl coyote, she had long hair that was twisted in a single braid, her clothes were a bit raged she wore a burgundy red short cut shirt with the selves torn off, a pair of deep tan pants, some dark brown boots, her fur was rather smooth and was a light tan, and her eyes were a lovely shade of blue. The girl had jumped into the air just in time to catch Rouge and she landed and sat Rouge up against a tree.

"You cut it pretty close didn't ya." The girl said as she looked at Rouge.

"Yea I guess I did thanks, ah…."

"My name's Lorie and it was no problem." She said as she turned her sight back to the sky where the battle was still raging.

"I'll be back." She said as she jumped into the air, once more.

She hovered in the air for a few moments and she took those few seconds and did quite an amazing attack, she slammed her hands together and when she pulled them apart they glowed yellow with power, then she shouted her attack "light's blaze", and shock waves pulsed through the air and zapped all energy from the robots and they all fell to the ground now lifeless. The mysterious girl landed gracefully on the ground. Knuckles and Ying had watched the girl take out all the robots with one attack and were rather impressed but Knuckles was at Rouge's side by now. Loire was walking over towards Knuckles and Rouge, when Ying landed in the middle of her path and crossed his arms as he looked at her, and then began to speak.

"Who are you, and why did you help us?" Ying was a rather untrusting echidna, he trusted Knuckles obviously because he was the guardian of the Master Emerald that Ying had inhabited for so long, and Rouge had been a friend of Knuckles one which he seemed to trust and care for a great deal so he gave her his trust as well, but this girl was a complete stranger, and he thought why should he trust her, and what did she have to gain by helping them?

"Ying, she just helped us defeat those robots, we owe her our sincerity." Rouge said as she looked crossly at him.

"No it's alright I don't mind, he has a right to be suspicious, my name is Lorie, and I will not have a guilty conscience on my hands knowing that I could have done something to help but didn't bother too." She said as she went around Ying and towards Rouge and Knuckles.

"Are you okay?" Lorie asked as she looked at Rouge.

"Yea nothing broken just a few bruises." Rouge said as she was getting up, she had to lean on Knuckles to walk though.

"I insist that you stay at my house, until she's better." Loire insisted.

"Thanks." Knuckles said as she helped Rouge walk.

"You may stay to if you wish." She said to Ying as she began to walk in the direction of her home.

Ying only snorted and rolled his shoulders has he began to follow. Soon they reached Lorie's home it was a small brick house, and it had two windows and a small wooden door. Lorie opened the door to let the others in.

"Its nothing fancy but it's home." She said as she entered the house. "You can set her down on the couch." She said as she enter another room that was connected to the den.

When Knuckles enter the house with Rouge they were in the den, he slowly helped Rouge over to the small couch that was in front of a large fireplace. Knuckles sat down first and then Rouge laid down so that her head was in his lap. Knuckles blushed as she smiled up at him. Rouge took a look around the room she was in. There was a small coffee table between the couch and the fire place, there were two chairs on each side of the sofa, and on the mantel were a few pictures, most likely family. Ying was leaning against a wall, his arms crossed and his eyes scanned the area. Soon Lorie reentered the room, she had a tray with 4 glasses on it and a glass picture filled with lemonade. She sat the tray down on the coffee table and began to fill the glasses.

"Your taste buds are about to go on little ride, this is the best lemonade this side of the real west."

Rouge sat up and laid back against the sofa, as Lorie handed her a glass, then one to Knuckles, and then one to Ying. Rouge took a big gulp from her glass and she went wide eyed from the wonderful sweet and sour taste, it was perfect. "Loire this is the best lemonade I've ever tasted."

Knuckles nodded in agreement. Ying hadn't drunk any yet he just stared at the glass. "Go on taste it I promise it's not poison." Loire said as she picked up her own glass and continued to stare at the white echidna.

Ying then took a sip from the glass, and a smile appeared on his face as he took the glass from his mouth. "This is good." He said as he finished off the rest of it in one gulp.

"Where did you learn how to make this?" Rouge asked as she took another sip from her glass.

"Well it was my mom's old recipe." She answered as her expression changed to sadness.

"Oh I'm sorry I didn't mean too…."

"No it's okay, my mother died of ammonia a few years ago we didn't have the medicine needed to cure her, and I never met my father." She said as she looked at the pictures on her mantel, tears began to form in her eyes. "I'm going out, to…. to do a little training I'll be back soon help yourselves to the kitchen." She said as she exited the house.

"Ying go make sure she's ok, please." Rouge insisted.

"If I must." He said as he left the house, after Loire.

Rouge yawned and stretched as she laid her head back in Knuckles lap, and she soon was fast asleep. Knuckles only smiled as he looked upon the beautiful bat. "Why, why can't I have you?" He said as he caressed her face gently. He soon remembered what could happen to her if they ever fell in love. He shook his head trying to lose the thought. He leaned over and gently kissed her forehead, and then lay his head against the back of the sofa and fell asleep.

Ying was walking through the forest looking for Lorie when he heard something. He pushed his way through some bushes and he was surprised at what he saw. Lorie was punching and kicking a tree as hard as she could leaving scars with every hit. Tears streamed down her face as she continued to beat the tree. "Why, why did it have to happen?" She yelled her voice filled with emotion. She hit the tree once more with her fist, and she hit is so hard that it fell over. She went down to her knees as she covered her face with her hands and she continued to cry.

Ying's heart ached for her she seamed so in control all the time but the truth was she had just as much emotion as anyone else. He began to walk over to her. Lorie's head sprung up as she heard foot steps. She saw Ying approaching her. Ying knelt down beside the weeping coyote.

"You wanna talk about it?" He asked.

"I just miss my mom so much she was all I had in the world." She said as more tears escaped down her cheeks.

"It's goanna be okay." Ying said as he let her burry her face into his chest. He felt somewhat strange he had never really had much contact with the opposite sex, so he was blushing just a little.

"Ying it just hurts so much." She said through her tears.

"Shhhh it's okay." He said as he stroked her head gently trying to calm her.

The two stayed like that for some time. Then Loire finally pulled herself together. She lifted her face from Ying's chest and whipped the tears from her face. She gave a week smile to Ying as she pushed her hair behind her ears. "Ying um… thanks." She said as she looked at him.

"You're welcome." He smiled and a light blush sown across his face.

Loire noticed it and thought it was cute; she put a hand to his face and smiled. "You know under that tuff exterior you're actually pretty sweet." She leaned over toward him and gave him light kiss on the cheek as she got up, and began her walk back to the house.

Ying remained on the ground for a moment has he held his hand on the spot where Loire had kissed him as his blush only hardened, he smiled and then got up and followed Loire.

Back at the house Rouge had woken up, but she just laid there looking up at Knuckles who was still asleep. She finally sat up and then turned to Knuckles she put a hand to his face as she stared at his closed eyes.

She gently stroked his face as she stared on at him. She couldn't stand it any longer she began to lean closer toward his face. Coming closer and closer and closer still, their lips only inches away now, Rouge could feel the heat coming from knuckles lips as her own slightly began to touch them, but her kiss was interrupted when Ying and Loire enter the house, Rouge quickly backed away sadly, knowing how close she was to getting what she wanted only to have it slip from her grasp once again. The slamming of the door woke Knuckles as he opened his eyes, he felt as if someone had been very close (No dua but anyway) but he just shook the feeling. Hopping to shake her own feeling of defeat, Rouge stood up and made a suggestion.

"I am feeling much better; we should get going, fate of the free world to save and all." She said as she began to walk for the door.

"Rouge is right let's get going." Knuckles agreed as he got up and began to follow Rouge to the door.

Ying left Loire's side and began to walk toward his friends. Only to find something holding him back by his left arm, he turned to see a hand holding his it belong to none other than Lorie. She was looking at Ying with almost watery eyes.

"Do you have to go?" She questioned as she continued to look at him.

"I'm sorry Loire, but I have to go, I have to stop Yang." He pulled his hand out of her grasp.

But he was stopped yet again by Loire. He turned to her once again but she spoke first this time. "Then I'm going with you." She said as a smile spread across her face and she then walked ahead of him and out the door. Ying quickly stepped in to her path. "Loire you should stay here where it's safe." He was actually very surprised at the concern he heard in his own voice.

"Look I can make my own decisions Ying and I want to go with you."

"Let her come, Ying besides we're going to need all the help we can get." Knuckles said as he began to head north.

Ying only nodded his head to submit to his defeat in the argument.


	9. Without a shadow of a doubt

**CHAPTER 9: WITH OUT A SHADOW OF A DOUBT**

The 4 of them had been walking for a few days now, stopping every now and again for rest but only when it was completely necessary. They were getting closer and closer with every step they took, and the closer they got the more the temperature began to drop. The forest they had been traveling through was no longer lush and green, the trees had no leaves, they were only skeletons now, and there was a cold wind that endlessly blew. Knuckles was walking a head of the group, and he was trying to ignore the terrible pain in his stomach from the lack of food, heck he hadn't eaten for at least 8 days now. Rouge was even worse off than Knuckles now. She suddenly fell to the ground, holding her stomach. Knuckles was at her side in a heart beat.

"Rouge what's the matter?" He asked as he put his hands on her shoulders and pulled her up so he could see her face.

"Its nothing I'm fine." She said as she pulled her arms away from her stomach and looked at Knuckles with a fake smile.

Rouge had been with out food longer than Knuckles, and her body was starting to suffer from the effects of minor starvation, she didn't want to slow them down so she never said anything about all the cramps and pain she was constantly having even when it was so intense that she would fly head of the rest of them and throw up blood. Ying and Loire stood beside Rouge and Knuckles and only watched and listened quietly. Rouge tried to get up but fell back to her knees in her failed attempts. She clenched her teeth has she hissed in pain.

"She desperately needs to eat." Loire said as she bent down next to Rouge and began to look her over.

"No I'm fine, I don't need anything." Rouge said as she shook her head claming she was fine, but it was only in vain, because she fell backwards unconscious.

"Rouge!" Knuckles shook her slightly, but nothing happened.

"Its ok Knuckles she's merely unconscious she'll be fine." Ying said as he bent down next to the bat and felt her pulse.

Suddenly Ying shot up into a standing position and was darting his sights from place to place.

"Ying what is it?' Loire asked, as she watched him.

"We aren't alone." Ying replied.

Knuckles looked up from Rouge and looked around trying to see or hear what Ying was talking about. Then Knuckles began to pick up on the sound, it was the echo of someone jumping from branch to branch. They all looked around for the maker of the sound. Ying looked around once more but still couldn't pinpoint the sources. Then all of a sudden someone kicked Ying in the back sending him to the ground. He turned around only to see a black hedgehog looking down at him. The hedgehog was none other than Shadow.

"I don't know who you are or what you're doing but this is my territory and I want you out." Shadow stated as he looked crossly at Ying.

"I don't know you either but you can not order me around." Ying said as he stood back up.

"I shall do as I please, and you should watch your tongue echidna." Shadow snapped back at him.

"Your threats do not scare me." Ying stated as he looked at Shadow with his black eyes.

"Oh yea well maybe this will!" Shadow said as he raised his fist and was about to hit Ying, when he stopped mid punch.

Loire had stepped in between the two corralling males, and was facing Shadow with an angered expression. "Leave him alone what has he or any of us ever done to you?"

"Shadow is that you?" Knuckles interrupted Loire's investigation as he turned to see who their attacker was.

"Knuckles, what are you doing here?" Shadow asked when he saw the familiar echidna.

"Shadow we don't have time to explain right now, can you help us get Rouge some food, she's suffering from starvation." Knuckles said as he stared at Shadow for an answer.

"What; Rouge is here?" Shadow said his voice filled with concern. Rouge had been a close ally to Shadow, and he owed her a few favors.

Knuckles leaned back so that Shadow could see Rouge. Shadow approached carefully and stopped a few feet from her, he stared for a few moments and then began heading west.

"Bring her this way I have some tonics back at my place." Shadow said as he continued into the desalinate waste land of a forest.

Knuckles bent down and scooped Rouge up in his arms and followed Shadow into the dead forest. Loire and Ying looked at each other and then began to follow Knuckles and Shadow. As Knuckles carried Rouge through the forest he saw her stir in her so called sleep as if she were having a bad dream. He pulled her head close and whispered into her ear.

"It's going to be okay Rouge, I won't let anything happen to you I promise."

As if Rouge really heard him she stopped flinching and tossing, she remained calm the rest of the way. Finally the group reached the huge opening of a cave. Shadow was the first to enter followed by the others. Knuckles looked around as he entered the cave. The cave was empty except for a small scorched ash coved spot, Knuckles figured it was where Shadow set up fires considering there was wood and smoldering coals there. Knuckles went over to the spot and sat and held Rouge in his arms as he waited for Shadow to return from the back of the cave, Loire and Ying joined Knuckles over at the fire area. Ying picked up some of the wood and started a small fire.

"Here give her this." Shadow said as he returned to the front of the cave, and in his hand was small vile filled with purple liquid.

He handed the vile to Knuckles. "It will easy her pain and when she wakes up she be able to eat something, meanwhile I'm going to go find her some food." He said as he disappeared out of the opening of the cave.

Loire was watching the fire, when she got up and headed for the opening of the cave as well.

"Loire where are you going?" Ying asked as he quickly noticed that Loire was departing.

"Knuckles may trust this Shadow guy, but I don't and if I'm going to learn to trust him I want to learn more about him." She answered as she continued to head for the opening of the cave.

"I'll escort you." Ying said as he began to get up as well.

"Ying I'm a big girl I can hold my own." She said as she quickly disappeared out of the cave.

Ying sat back down and stared into the fire. "Ying don't worry she'll be fine, she's pretty tuff." Knuckles reassured him.

"I don't get it, why should she want to get to know him?" Ying said as he continued to stare into the fire.

"Ying if I didn't know better I'd say you were jealous." Knuckles said as he cocked an eyebrow in suspicion.

"What are you talking about me jealous of that insignificant being surely you jest?" Ying retorted as he sweat dropped.

"What ever you say." Knuckles clamed as he opened the vile.

Knuckles held Rouge's head up as he began to pour the medicine into her mouth. When he was finished diagnosing Rouge he sat the vile on the ground next to him and stared at her. "Please let her be okay." He said under his breath.

Shadow had gone pretty far he went has far has he had to, to get to the nearest living plant life. He was in small cluster of trees, picking some of the fruit that grew on them. Shadow's ears twitched a little as he heard the sound of something move. He was cautious at first as he looked around and then he closed his eyes and it looked as if he was trying to concentrate. Shadow's eyes slowly opened and a smile or more like a smirk appeared on his face, as he went back to picking the fruit.

"You can come out now, I know you're here." Shadow said as he picked the fruit.

Loire jumped out of a near by tree. She walked up to the tree Shadow was in and leaned against the trunk. "How'd you know I was here?" She asked as she scanned her surroundings.

"Your attack power have a slight similarity to mine, but your attacks are electricity base right?"

"Yes."

"I thought so you give off an electrical current so strong I could have sensed it miles away."

"Humm, you're smarter than you look." Lorie said as she looked up and out of the corner of her eye at Shadow.

"Humph" was Shadow's only response.

"What are you doing out here?" Loire asked.

"I'm gathering food for Rouge, what dose it look like I'm doing." Shadow said in a sarcastic voice.

"No I mean why do you live alone out here?" She said as she turned her head upward to get a better view of Shadow.

"That's none of your concern girl." He answered without even looking at her.

"Fine if you don't wont to tell me, but don't ever call me girl I have name and it's Loire." She said as she crossed her arms and looked harshly at the ground.

Shadow jumped to the ground, he had a small Black Hand bag filled with fruit he threw it over his shoulder, and he began walking back toward the cave. "Whatever…girl." He said without looking back.

"That, that,…." Lorie wasn't even able to even finish her sentence.

She ran in front of him, and blocked his path. "Don't whatever me 'Shadow', and I said my name is Loire not girl."

Shadow just shrugged and went around her.

"Master our capturing mission failed." A robot announced as it stood in front of the desk facing the back of a black leather chair.

"This is unacceptable!" A loud voice boomed from behind the chair. "Did we find out any other information?" The dark voice asked.

"Actually sir we did, we just had a scout returned and we found that Ying and Knuckles have acquired more allies than just the bat, 2 to be precise sir."

"Any information on who they are?" The dark voice requested.

"Yes sir, one is a female coyote her name is Loire Hunt and she specializes in electrical powered attacks, their newest ally is a hedgehog who calls himself Shadow A.K.A 'The Ultimate Life Form'"

"The Ultimate Life Form, hum that name sounds familiar." The voice was silent for a moment. "Computer on." The voice commanded. The wall it was facing turned into computer screen. "Open remaining G.U.N files." The voice commanded.

"Sir aren't these files protected by the most unsurpassed computer safety components in the world and why just the remaining files?" The robot asked.

"They were, but compared to mine those out dated systems might as well be a children's toy and these are the only files on G.U.N left in the entire world, when I first came here I knew I would have to get rid of all those who appose me and my quest first, G.U.N was at the top of my list and now there's not a single G.U.N base standing on the face of the Earth and I saved any of their files I thought could be useful to me." "Now you said you failed in the attempts to bring me the batgirl, in my operation there's no room for failure." With that the chair turned and before the robot could even see anyone he was met by a giant black energy blast that designated it. The maker of the dark voice turned back to the computer screen. "Files on 'The Ultimate Life Form'." The voice commanded once more. A few files opened showing some pictures of Shadow doing his attacks and few of him when he was incased in his capsules, and his profile and some other information. The figure stared at the screen for a moment, and then it spoke again. "Computer files on thievery." This time a few more files opened but the one the figure found most interesting was the one on Nack the weasel/wolf. The voice stared at the screen for a few more moments and then pressed a button and spoke into an intercom. "F46 report to my office." The voice turned back to the screen and was thinking.

A figure entered the room he wasn't a robot; one of the few in this operation that wasn't. He was a black wolf he had a pair of dark denims on and wore an artillery gun across his back. When Yang had been destroying the G.U.N bases he found a few of G.U.N's experiments and F46 was one of them after releasing him F46 swore loyalty to Yang. "You summoned me master."

"Yes." "I want you to bring me him." The minimized picture was enlarged and it was a picture of Nack. "And F46 bring me this one too." The figure turned around and pushed an actual photograph in front of F46.

"As you command master, I will not fail you."

"You'd better not; you know what the penalty for failure is here." The dark voice said as they turned back to the computer. "Oh and F46 I want you to stop by Eggamn's old base, as you know he met the same fate as G.U.N, and I want you to first bring me metal Sonic and metal Amy but keep the two inactivated."

"Yes sir." F46 replied, and turned and left the dark room.


	10. Soulless

**CHAPTER 10: SOULLESS**

Rouge was stirring in her sleep again, but this time Knuckles tried wake her. "Rouge, Rouge wake up." He said softly into her ear.

Rouge's eyes slowly opened and were met by Knuckle's violet ones. "What happened?" She asked with a weak voice.

"Shh you're okay now, everythings goanna be okay." He said as he softly stroked the side of her face.

Rouge was a bit surprised by how comforting Knuckles was being, but then again Knuckles had been acting pretty strange ever senses they first ran into each other and she saved him from those robots. At the moment Shadow was walking into the cave. He sat the food in front of Knuckles and then left to sit on a rock on the dark side of the cave. Rouge sat up and leaned against the cave wall as Knuckles handed her a piece of fruit from the bag. Rouge quickly devoured it. Loire walked into the cave a few minutes after she wasn't quite as fast as Shadow as a mater of fact not even close. She just took a seat next to Ying as he handed her a piece of the fruit from the bag. Ying looked over at Shadow who didn't return the glare his eyes were closed and it looked as if he were sleeping. The others soon followed his example and were fast asleep.

Broken glass covered the floor as F46 walked the dark dreary halls of G.U.N's old base. He had gotten conformation that Nack had been hiding out in one of the old G.U.N bases and he was checking it out. He turned down another long corridor. Then F46 herd a sound it was the sound of a trigger being cocked. He turned to see Nack pointing his gun right at him. "Don't move wolf boy or I'll shoot." Nack said as he smirked evilly at F46. "Now what's your name and what are you doing in my hide out?" Nack asked as he continued to stare at the intruder.

"My master desires an audience with you." F46 began to walk toward Nack.

"Don't take another step." Nack demanded.

F46 suddenly disappeared; Nack looked around quickly but didn't see him. "Hey where did he-" he was cut off when F46 appeared in front of him and bent the tip of his gun down. "And as for my name itsF46 but you will call me Falcon." "Now you can come with me of your own free will or you can come bloody and beaten to near death there's your choice."

"I'll take the first one." Nack said as he waved his hands in front of F46 showing there was no need for violence.

It was now 6: 30 in the morning, and Shadow was pushing on Knuckles shoulder, Knuckles slowly opened his eyes and saw it was Shadow who was shaking him. "Come on Knuckles you need to get up, as I recall you wanted to get an early start." Shadow said as he walked over to Loire and started shaking her.

Knuckles sat up and rubbed the back of his neck and then making it pop. He turned to Rouge who was few feet away. He softly shook her. "Rouge come on we gotta go." He said in a soft voice.

Rouge's eyes flickered as she opened them. She yawned as she as stood up and stretched. "What time is it?"

"Its 6: 30" Shadow answered her question as he shook Loire.

"Wha, what?" Loire asked as she slowly began to open her eyes, only to Shadow in her face. "Ahh do you have to do that?" She asked as she watched Shadow rise from the ground.

"If it'll wake you then yes." Shadow answered.

Loire looked next to her to see Ying sleeping peacefully, for a moment she stared at his sleeping form before shaking her head and coming back to reality. She scooted closer to him and gently ran her hand across his forehead. "Ying come on wake up." She said softly. Ying slowly opened his eyes to see Loire looking at him with a smile on her face. He sat up still staring at her the two didn't even noticed that Loire's hand was laying on top of Ying's. Loire blushed slightly as she removed her hand and stood up and headed for the opening of the cave. Ying sat there watching her exit the cave as a smile found its way on to his face.

"Ying come on we're outa here." Knuckles yelled form the outside of the cave.

Falcon walked down the hallways of his master's command center followed by Nack who was in ah at what he saw as he looked around at all the black echidna robots working and training. But Nack soon grew curious about his new surroundings, and began to question Falcon. "Hey wolf boy who exactly is this boss of yours who wants to see me?"

"He requires your services and he will make it quite worth your while." He answered.

Falcon opened the door to the dark room he pushed Nack in and then followed in behind him. Falcon shut the door and the room was now completely dark and Falcon disappeared from behind Nack. A small spot light highlighted Nack, and then he heard the dark voice speak.

"Nack isn't it?" The dark voice asked.

"That depends who wants to know?" Nack answered as he crossed his arms and sifted his eyes around the room trying to see where the voice was coming from.

"You should know your place half breed." A voice said harshly but it was the voice a Falcon this time.

"Oh come on we're not going to make this a racial issue are we?" Nack asked as he looked around for Falcon.

"Falcon has a point, you are a mixed breed but we're willing to over look that considering your gift." The dark voice announced.

"My gift?" Nack said questionably.

"Yes you have a gift for shall we say taking things without asking and never returning them." The dark voice answered.

"Well I am the greatest thief this side of the well the planet." Nack said as he put on a smug face.

"Yes quite, now I am in need of your special talents."

"Okay but what's in it for me?" Nack asked as he crossed his arms and wore a serious face, Nack wasn't the most manly of creatures but he always got his fair share out of any job.

"Ah I see you are quite attentive when it comes to your reward." "Well I can make it quite worth your while Nack."

"Oh really, you have my attention." Nack answered.

A spotlight lit up the front of the desk although whoever was sitting there remained in the shadows only a few outlines and a pair of evil solid white eyes could be seen. The figure sitting behind the desk slapped a brief case on top of it. "Take a look Nack." The voice commanded.

Nack took a few steps toward the desk and stopped in front of it and stared at the brief case a moment before opening it. He unbuckled the locks on each side and then opened the brief case to see it was filled with money. Nack practically started to drool at the mouth as he stared at the money. He picked up a hand full of the money and flipped through it. "Wow I didn't even know they made thousand dollar bills." Nack stated as he continued to admire the money.

"This is only a portion of your reward if you complete this task for me." The voice claimed as the pair of white eyes watched Nack.

"Okay, what do you want me to do?"

Falcon ran through the dark alleys of the city as he darted his vision back and forth he was on his third job now he had retrieved the two robots his master asked for and now all he had to do was find the last person his master had requested. Suddenly he stopped. His ears perked as he heard something move. He turned to a dark corner in the ally. There he saw two emerald green eyes staring at him. They were really the sort of eyes that when you see them you run or back away very slowly, those eyes were cold as black night and filled with hate for the world.

"You're the one I've been looking for." He stated as he walked toward the pair of emerald eyes.

"And why have you been looking for me, I have no corral with you." A female's voice retorted obviously coming from the owner of the green eyes.

"No but my master demands your presences and my master always gets what he wants." Falcon answered as he continued to walk toward her.

The figure in the Shadow stepped into the light. "Well sorry, but it an't goanna be that easy." The girl was none other than Amy.

"I don't want to have to hurt you, my master wants you alive, and so I will appeal to your desires." "There's an impressive compensation in store for you if you serve my master, and you might just get your cut of shall we say the world."

"Sounds tempting, I'll go peacefully with you… this time." She answered as she walked toward him.

"Excellent now follow me." He began to run down the alleys again this time followed by the girl.

Knuckles and Rouge led the rest of the group as they continued north. Temperatures still dropping and getting colder with every passing minute. The others followed, with Shadow bring up the rear he had decided to come along seeing as how he had nothing else to do and his so called home had basically died, and he wanted to end this cold weather so he could get back to his normal lonely life. Shadow just stuck in the back and didn't bother to speak. Loire and Ying were walking close together Ying keeping an eye on Shadow he still didn't trust this suspicious looking black hedgehog. The group was now drawing ever closer to Yang they had now reached the city that Falcon had been in previously. They were wondering the streets has they drew closer to the other side of the city. They decided to stop just on the out skirts of the city for the night.

"Yes civilization!" Rouge blurted out as she ran to the nearest fast food place and quickly ordered a large fire and a soda.

She quickly began to scarf them down she walked next to Knuckles and offered him some. He gladly accepted and took hand full. The rest of them weren't hungry or anything so they followed along in silence.

The Amy stood in the dark corner of the room as she waited to meet Falcon's so called master. Falcon leaned against the wall next to his mastered door waiting for him to call the two in.

"Yes you are just what I need." The dark voice said as he circled Metal Sonic's metal shell. "You only need one more thing and you will be complete." He said as he opened the back of metal Sonic's head and placed a black and gold chip in to his electric wiring. "Now you're ready."

The dark figure turned behind him and a small spotlight drew attention to another metal body. This one was female and it was metal Amy. "Yes and as for you." "Most would find you weak and useless, because you do not possess fighting components and such as metal Sonic but you hold a very special purpose."

Metal Amy was in rather good condition, but the dark figure opened her chest and pulled out wires and circuits, pretty much destroying her systems.

He returned to metal Sonic and flipped Metal Sonic's power switch to on and then broke it off.

A small electric field slipped over Metal Sonic as he turned on. "What happened?" Metal Sonic asked as he shook his head.

"You are safe no need to worry yourself." The dark figure had receded from the light and was once again hidden in the arms of total darkness.

Metal Sonic quickly turned on his night scanners to look for the maker of the voice but he saw nor sensed anyone. "Why can't I see you my night vision is working at optimum efficiencies?"

"This is not the darkness of night, this is the darkness of heart, and night vision is useless when trapped in the blackness of an evil heart."

"What happened to me, and what do you want?" Metal Sonic asked.

"I only request your loyalty to me, I have many allies but you interest me and I wish to befriend you, and as for what had become of you as you remember you betray Dr. Eggman and before you could escape his base he had you shutdown."

"Sorry but I am my own master now." Metal Sonic replied.

"Oh but there is much to be gained by become my ally, I would not control you as Dr. Eggman tried to, and you shall get your fair share of rewards."

"Oh really, well what is it you are actually getting of this?"

"…The world..."

"Hum… this sounds like an exceptional alliance, but if I am going to work for you I want to know who you are I want to see your face."

"So be it then."

The figure stepped out of the darkness and into the spot light only to reveal Yang, Ying's evil brother and counter part. He to looked like Knuckles his fur was midnight black the crest on his chest was white as were his gloves, shoes and his eyes. His eyes were as Ying's only they were solid white not black like Ying's and held no emotion.

"You certainly look the part of the evil villain, I am satisfied for now." Metal Sonic clammed as he stared at Yang.

"Excellent, you are free to wonder around my base as you please."

Another spotlight highlighted the door, Metal Sonic began to walk towards it, when he noticed Metal Amy. He looked at her for moment then turned back to Yang. "Where did you get her?"

"She was salvaged at Eggman's old base, I have no use for her you are welcome to do with her as you please she was going to be thrown out anyway." Yang said as he began to back towards the shadows again.

"I think I will." Metal Sonic picked her up in his arms and began to head for the door again, and then left.

"Yes everything is going according to plan." Yang said in an evil tone. He walked over to his desk and pressed a button and spoke into the intercom. "Falcon bring her in."

Falcon stood up from the wall, he looked at Amy in the corner as if to motion her to come. Amy walked out of the shadows and toward the door.

As she entered she heard a voice speaking to her it was the dark and evil voice of Yang. "You do not look the way as I remember but you must be her, there's so much for me to explain to you." He said as he stared at her from the shadows of the darkness.

When she heard the voice she became tense every part of her body was filled with fear even if all she could see was the blackness of the dark, the feeling of darkness there was something in her mind that compelled her to fear this voice that sent shivers up her spin, she couldn't respond she just began to back towards the door. Amy didn't know why but just the sound of that voice made her blood boil and quiver at the same time, her face showed her pure hatred for him. "I don't care who you are or what you can tell me about anything, I am out of here." She ran for the door and she didn't stop there she continued to run down the hallways; until she finally reached the door she had come in through. She busted out of it and then into the forest.

"Shall I go after her master?" Falcon asked as he looked in Yang's direction.

"No let her go she will join us soon enough."


	11. I was lost but now I'm found

**CHAPTER 11: I was lost but now I'M found**

Knuckles, Rouge and the others were now exiting the city limits Shadow jumped a head of the group as he twitched his ears. "Someone's coming I can hear their footsteps." Shadow stood up and pointed in the direction of the edge of the forest.

They all heard rustling in the forest as the maker of the sound came closer and closer. When Amy ran from the forest and then collapsed to her knees gasping for breath.

"Amy?" They all exclaimed accept for Loire and Ying who didn't know her.

She pulled her head up to look at them. She said nothing she only stood up and crossed her arms and gave them a cold glair.

"Amy what are you doing here?" Knuckles asked as he looked at Amy for an answer.

"That is none of your business Knuckles but I might ask you the same question." She said as she sifted her eyes looking at each of them.

"We're on a little mission no biggie." Rouge answered as she stepped up next to Knuckles and crossed her arms and stared at Amy noticing her strange disposition.

"Amy were you being chased or something?" Knuckles asked remembering she looked as if she had been running from someone.

"So what if I was it's not like it maters." She answered, wishing they would stop with the questions.

"Fine Amy you don't have to tell us anything but do you know where we can find a place to stay at here for the night?" Knuckles asked as he narrowed his eyes on Amy.

"I suppose I can help you out follow me." She said as she turned and looked in the direction she had just come from then she turned slight to the left and headed back into the forest, she hadn't been in that forest very many times but she knew her way around it pretty well.

The others followed her on into the forest. Ying was staring at her strangely he was having the weird feeling that he knew her from somewhere. He only shook his head and tried to lose the thought. Soon Amy brought them to a small pond it was frozen over and so was the waterfall the water had frozen in mid air and the ground was now covered with snow, the few weeping willow trees that were around all their vines were covered with frozen ice as well. Amy jumped into a tree and took a seat as she stared off into the distance thinking about what had been happened to her only a few hours ago. The others just settled down and tried to relax if that was even possible. Knuckles and Rouge were laying back against a snow covered rock drifting in and out of sleep mode. Shadow was in a tree next to Amy and was doing nothing of importance. Loire had grabbed Ying by the arm and pulled him out onto the ice.

"Come on Ying don't you know how to skate?" She asked as she let go of him and began to skate circles around him.

"No actually I don't." He said as he twitched and slipped around trying not to lose his balance.

"Oh well, don't worry I can teach you." Lorie replied as she stopped in font of him and took his hands in her own. They both slightly blushed at the touch of the others hand.

"Come on its easy." She said as she pulled him along gently and at a slow pace. "Try just moving your feet in rhythm with each other."

She gently let go of his hands and once again began circling him waiting for him to attempt the task. He slowly took a few steppes then began to do as she had said and moved his feet in rhythm with one another. He started off slow and then got faster.

"Good you got it Ying." Loire said as she skated backward in front of him.

"This actually is quite enjoyable." Ying stated as he continued to follow Loire around on the ice.

"I know I love it." She said as she jumped in the air and landed a triple axle.

The sun was now beginning to set and Knuxs and Ying had started a fire. The others had gathered around all accept for Amy, who remained in the same spot.

"what's her problem?" Loire asked.

"To tell you the truth I don't know she's really changed senses the last time I saw her." Rouge said as she scooted a little closer to Knuckles.

"Yea she's not the same Amy I remember." Knuckles said trying to pretend not to notice Rouge getting closer.

Soon the conversation die and the group had laid down to sleep. All accept Shadow who had returned to his spot in the tree next to Amy who still hadn't moved an inch. He stared at her for a moment and then jumped to the same branch as her. He had been watching her all day he wondered what made her this way. She reminded him of well himself, this Amy was defiantly not the one he remembered, she was so different from the last time they met back on ARK, she seemed so joyful then but now she was no longer that care free pink hedgehog, it seemed as if she didn't know what it meant to be happy. Shadow only stood next to her as she still sat there, not even bothering to turn and face him.

"What do you want?" Amy asked still not turning to face him.

"I want to know, why are you not as I remember you?" Shadow asked as he gazed at the setting sun not bothering to face her either.

"Why do you care no one ever cared about me, so I don't see why anyone would ever miss my weak former self?"

"Because you are the one that helped me decided to save Earth the former you reminded me of Maria."

"Okay Shadow, I'll tell you but you have to promise not to tell anyone."

"Wha-?"

"Just promise me." She demanded.

"Okay Amy I promise I want tell." He said as he finally turned to see her eyes shaking with what seemed to almost be fear.

"Its hard to say Shadow, you think I know you think I know all of you guys don't you?" Amy asked as she looked at Shadow for an answer.

"Well yes you know our names and who we are." He said as he looked at her a little confused.

"That's just it I know your names and that's it, I don't know who you really are all I know is your name and that I know you all from somewhere, but other than that I have never seen you before in my life." She said as she looked up at Shadow.

"But we met so long ago back on ARK and you known the others for even longer, how can you not know us?" He asked.

"I don't know the oldest memory I have is that one day I woke up on a floating island and I had no idea where I was or anything so I ran…I just ran." "And I've never looked back, I've remembered knowing some of my so called friends but the one name that kept coming back to me was Shadow, and when I saw you my memory sparked and I knew you had to be him." She said as she looked into his eyes.

Shadow felt strange, it was some feeling pulling at the back of his mind, here he was basically a complete stranger to her and she was pouring her heart out to him. He moved closer to her and put a hand on her shoulder "Amy don't worry I will help you remember your past I swear I'll help you remember." He said as he sat down next to her.

She couldn't help herself she leaned over and gave him a smooth hug. Then she realized what she had been doing she quickly let go of him and stood up. "Sorry I didn't mean to get so mushy." She said as she turned to look at him with a slight blush.

Shadow stared at her face her eyes glissading in the light of the moon. He mentally cussed him self out, for staring at her like that. He was admiring her new beauty, she hadn't just changed emotionally she had also changed on the outside. She had a new attire she no longer wore a red dress, she now wore a short cut black leather skirt with a split on each side, a red tub top with spaghetti straps, a pair of tanish brown boots a pair of gloves to match, and she still wore her traditional red hair band.

"Shadow I want to thank you for wanting to help me with my past, but I'm not sure if I even want to remember my old life my old feelings." She said she turned her gaze to the full moon.

"But Amy-" He said as he looked at her.

"Shadow its okay, I remember you and that's all that matters to me." She said as she put a hand on his face.

"But why me, what about the others?" He asked as he looked into those emerald green eyes.

"Because your name was the one always pulling at the back of my mind, the only name I **_want_** to remember." She said as she came closer. She looked as the raven hedgehog's beautiful red eyes, almost getting lost in them. Then she once again let go of him and backed away. "Don't worry Shadow; I'll be fine not showing emotion has its advantages." She said as she stood there giving him a half smile.

He still couldn't keep himself from admiring her, her every move her very word. Her clothes weren't the only things that changed, he admired her feminine cures, and her shape reminded him of an hour glass. He blushed at his sexual thoughts. Amy took a step toward him and then stopped herself. She looked out over the frozen water as she turned and gave Shadow a wink "I'll see you in the morning Shadow." She said as she jumped to another branch in the tree.

Shadow only watched her leave his side as he wished she would stay. He shook the thought from his mind he had never had the urge to be around someone like he had the need to be around Amy right now. He just ignored his thoughts and leaned against the trunk of the tree and fell asleep.

Nack had mapped the location of all the chaos emeralds and he had already gotten the first 5 they were a piece of cake, he just had to break into a few museums, and a few rich stiffs mansions, but now the last 1 were located in one of the most highest security banks in the world, they were placed there by the government for safe keeping. Nack had finally reached the Bank it looked quite normal but held more than just money. He entered the shifting door of the bank and looked around it was strange the bank was totally empty the only person there was a female fox working at a desk. Nack stared at her; his mouth gapping open. She was quite attractive, she had beautiful red fur, and she wore an attractive business suit, which was well cut and was a smooth shade of red to bring out her foxy colors, the outfit also showed off every feminine cure she had to offer. She seemed to be some what young just about 17. The fox looked up from her work and saw Nack standing there.

"Can I help you sir?" She asked in a business yet polite voice.

Nack walked over to her and leaned against the edge of her desk. "Yea gorgeous you can start by telling your name." He said smoothly.

"That's not really any of your business." She said as she turned her attention back to the paper she was writing on earlier.

Nack was never a quitter when it came to a girl like her she was to good-looking to pass up. "Come on just tell me your name miss."

The fox looked up at him as he gave her a devilish smile. "If you must know its Tessa." She said as she watched him sift on his feet a bit.

"That's a beautiful name, you can call me Nack." He said as he tipped his hat upward a bit to reveal his eyes.

"So did you come here for business or pleasure?" She asked as she gave a half smile.

"My work is my pleasure, and I've come for a little of both." "So tell me Tess do I have any chance of a little date with you sometime?" He asked.

She didn't say anything she just sat there a little stunned that this guy had the nerve to actually ask her that. Nack then noticed something it was a huge vault and it was open, a man was setting some gold bars in it.

"I'll be back, just have your mind made up when I do." He said as he stood up fully from the desk and headed for the vault.

Nack took out one of his guns and walked up behind the man and easily knocked him out with no problems. He looked around the room there were hundreds of small drawers. He knew that each was filled with money or either some family heirloom that had been put in the bank, but he knew that the government wouldn't just put the chaos emeralds in just this vault there was a catch somewhere. He tried to think of a way to find them, and then an idea popped into his head. He walked over to the G section and started looking for a box that would have government on it. He finally found one that had Gov't on it short for government. This one was special though it was password activated. When Nack approached it he heard a computerized voice speak to him.

"Password please." It said as it waited for a response.

Nack rubbed his chin as he thought for a minute. "Government." He said.

"Incorrect password." Was his only reply.

Nack tried a slew of other words but none of them worked then it came to him there was one power that had always been above the government. "G.U.N."

"Password accepted." A huge chunk of the wall began to shift that piece of the wall raise from the floor.

There was long metallic hallway. Nack began to walk down it he was surprised when he didn't encounter any traps. Finally Nack reached the end of the corridor and there at the end was chaos emerald sitting on a red velvet pillow. He approached it cautiously he reached out a hand and picked them up. He admired the gem for moment but only for a moment seeing as how after he picked them up a very loud alarm went off red sirens began to flash in the hallway. Two walls in the hallway lifted and government agents began to pour out. They blocked his only exit, and they were all pointing a gun at him. One stepped forward.

"Don't make any sudden movements you are under arrest for grand theft." He said as he continued to point the gun at Nack.

Nack only smiled as he placed the emerald in one of his compartments on his belt. "Sorry boys but I don't have time to play." He said as he threw some small round spheres to the floor creating a huge blue cloud of smoke.

"After him!" The head agent yelled.

When the blue smoke cleared Nack wasn't there. "Where did he go?" One of the other agents asked.

Then a series of foot steps were herd and the agents turned to see Nack almost at he exit of the vault. He jumped out and looked back, and before closing the wall back down he said to them. "see ya suckers."

He ran from the vault and as he was about to leave the bank, when he was grabbed by someone from behind. He turned to see Tessa holding his arm. He turned fully around to her a smile across his face. "Make up your mind gorgeous?" He asked as he looked at her.

She said nothing she just took his hand and removed his glove and on his hand she wrote her phone number and her address. "And I'm free tonight." She smiled and kissed his cheek.

He looked at her and grinned "It's a date" before tuning and disappearing out of the door. He ran to his hover bike that was parked in an ally, quickly started it and took off back towards Yang's base.


	12. Can metal love?

**CHAPTER 12: CAN METAL LOVE?**

Metal Sonic was working on Metal Amy's hard drive he had finished all her circuitry and wiring which had been badly damaged. He connected a few more wires and then closed the compartment. Metal Sonic then flipped her switch, and she came online. She sat up from the hard metal table she was laying on and scanned the room. She spotted Metal Sonic and knew him at first scan. "Metal Sonic what am I doing here, how was I repaired?"

"An echidna named Yang brought us both here, you were salvaged, and I was found preserved in a capsule, Yang wanted to keep me but seeing as how you were so badly damaged he was going to dispose of you, but I decided to take you and repair you." He answered as he watched her listen intensely.

"What about your brothers Metal Knuckles, and the Tails doll?" Shed asked as she watched him sift on his feet slightly.

"Their bodies were never found from the wreckage." He said as he turned away slight, knowing that his brothers had been destroyed.

She stepped to the floor and stood in front him, he turned to face her. "I'm sorry." She said as she got closer and put her arms around him and pulling him into an embrace. He looked down at her as she hugged him, and found himself putting his own arms around her and returning the embrace.

Metal Amy released him and stepped away slightly, Metal Sonic watched her sit back down on the table and stare at him. "I need to go get you another power cell, I'll be back." He said as he headed for the door.

"Metal Sonic thanks for reactivating me." She said as she batted her metal lashes at him.

He only sweat dropped as he looked back at her before disappearing outside of the door. 'Metal Sonic's a little rough around the edges, but he's smart, and he's cute.' Wait did she just think he was cute. She had always admired Metal Sonic as a leader and as a strong ally, but she had never really thought of him as cute. Maybe it was the fact that he didn't let Yang dispose of her, and that he had repaired her. She wanted to know what it was in her memory files that made him apply to her hard drive this way but she could find nothing.

Metal Sonic walked down the halls of the base looking for the parts storage. As he walked down the hall he thought back to what had happened earlier. Why did he fix Metal Amy, and why did he care if Yang was going to dispose of her? She was expendable, and she couldn't fight or anything so why did he bother with her? He didn't need her for any reason yet he found himself keeping her around, he couldn't find a single file in his memory banks that gave any reason for him to bring her back online yet he brought her back anyway. He found the parts storage room and quickly located a power cell and was on his way back to the room he was given. He opened the door and found Metal Amy still sitting on the table patiently waiting for him to return. He walked up to her and handed the power cell to her. She stood up and looked at him and put it back in his hands. "Will you put it in for me?" She asked as she turned around and let her back compartment open. Metal Sonic sparked as he came closer and began working on putting the power cell back in. It felt different working on her when she was awake and when she was asleep. Metal Amy felt a surge in her power levels as Metal Sonic connected the power cell. She then felt a small spark in her other wiring that Metal Sonic was rubbing against she knew what it was coming from but she couldn't believe it.

"Metal are you sparking?" (Incase you can't tell sparking for robots is like blushing for people.) She asked as she turned around letting her back compartment close.

"Yes it must be a lose wire in my circuitry." He said as he backed away from her.

He opened his chest and began to pretend to work on some of his wiring. Metal Amy only looked at him with a smile, or as much as a smile as she could managed considering she didn't really have mouth just her little voice box thingy. She stepped closer and took her finger turning it into a small electrical screwdriver and began to work on his wires. "What are you-?" He began.

"Just returning the favor." She said as she looked up at him giving him a wink, and then returning to his wiring.

Metal sonic watched her every move as she connected and disconnected a few wires. When she was finally done she shut the compartment and stood up to face him. "I feel as if I am surging with more power than before." He said as he looked at his hands and then turned them into fists.

"I connected your energy cords directly to your power sources, so you can pull more power from it." She said as she leaned against the table and watched him admire his new strength.

It was late at night now and everyone was asleep. They were all sleeping peacefully, accept for Amy, she was shaking nervously and she was drenched in her own clod sweat.

_DREAM_

_She ran and ran but couldn't get away. The evil voice that had spoken to her was now after her. All she could see in the darkness was a pair of evil white eyes and she could hear that evil madding laugh as she ran from the darkness. She looked back only to she that the monster had stopped and blocking its path was Ying, Loire, Knuckles, and Rouge. She tried to stop him but it was no use the monster took out each of them with one swipe of his hand pulling them into the blackness of the shadows one by one. Then as she turned to look ahead of her she stopped. There standing in front of her was Shadow. "Shadow, what are you doing here; you need to get of this place?" She asked as she gasped for air. He didn't answer he just stared at her. The' monster' was drawing closer and closer to them now. She turned back to Shadow who was still standing there staring at her. "Shadow please get out of here, I don't want to lose you." She said as she looked him in the eye. Shadow's ears perked as he heard that, he walked up to her and pulled her to him in an embrace. Then he released her and looked at her face, seeing tears welding in her eyes he wiped them away with his hand as he stared into them. He then backed away and turned to the on coming monster, and began to walk towards it. "Shadow no you can't!" She yelled as she began to run after Shadow, but it was too late Shadow was picked up by a large shadowed hand and pulled into the darkness. "Shadow… no…" She whispered as she watched on in horror. _

"_What's wrong little girl you acted as if you lost everyone you care about?" The monster stated in a pleased evil tone._

"_You, you destroyed them you took them away, you took Shadow away!" She yelled back._

"_You blame me for this, when who you really only have to blame is yourself."_

"_No!"_

"_Yes, you've filled your heart with darkness and hatred for so long you've forgotten what it means to love this isn't my doing It's YOURS." It said as it circled her._

"_NO I could never do this, not to my friends, not to Shadow." She said as tears began to stream down her face._

"_Oh but you have look around you at the death and destruction you have caused, there is no one here to help you and its all your fault, YOU killed them." He yelled as he watched Amy suffer._

"SHADOW!" She yelled out.

Shadow shot up and looked over at Amy who was thrashing around in her sleep and yelling his name. He jumped to the tree she was in, and grabbed her by her shoulders to keep her from falling. "Amy, Amy wakeup." He said softly as he looked at her.

"Huh… Shadow." She said as she looked up into those red eyes. "Shadow don't die." She said in a terrified voice.

"Wha-?"

"Don't ever die on me, stay with me, please." She said as she let tears run down her face.

He pulled her close and let her cry into his chest. He only stroked her head softly as she did so. "Its okay Amy I'll never leave you I promise."

Amy's screams had waken everyone else but after seeing Shadow jump to the tree she was in, no one dared to go and see what they were doing out of fear of what they might find. Amy lay with Shadow in that tree for the rest of the night letting him continue to stroke her pink quills even after she stopped crying. Soon the two had fallen asleep, with one another. Then the next morning the two got quite a rude awakening.

"Hey Shadow; Amy, you two look comfortable." Rouge said as she fluttered in mid air next to the two sleeping hedgehogs.

Amy batted her eyes as she woke to find herself still in Shadow's arms. She stood up out of his embrace and blushed, as she looked at him. Shadow didn't blush or anything he wasn't sure what this feeling was, this feeling that made him invulnerable to the embarrassment of be seen with Amy like that but he wasn't embarrassed in the slightest.

"Would it be to cliché to say Amy and Shadow sitten in a tree K-I-S-S-I-N-G?" Rouge asked as she looked at the two before floating back down to the forest floor.

"Ah Shadow?" Amy turned back to him and looked at him with soft eyes.

"Yes?"

"Thanks, for last night."

"No problem Amy." He said as he stood up.

The two jumped to the ground and were eyed be the rest of the group.

"What?" Amy said as she looked at all of them.

"Nothing." They all said in unison.

"Hey don't freak out until you know the facts." Amy said as she crossed her arms and turned to the side and watched the group from the corner of her eye and she leaned against a tree. She knew they were all most likely making some dirty assumption about what she and Shadow had done last night.

"Amy, do you know anything about a guy named Yang, we're all looking for him and we need to find him soon the fate of the world is on the line here." Knuckles said as he looked at Amy.

"Why should I care; what has the world ever done for me?" She asked as she looked at Knuckles with a cold glare.

Shadow watched Amy say those cold things, but he felt strange about it because he knew what was really going on inside her mind, he knew the real Amy, the only side they were seeing was that cold nasty streak Amy had acquired over the years, it seemed the only person she would let her guard down to was Shadow. There was just something in Shadow that Amy had faith in, she would trust Shadow with her life.

"Well here you go I got um, it wasn't easy but I got um." Nack said as he sat 6 chaos emeralds on the desk. "I could only find six there hasn't been a sign of the red chaos emerald anywhere."

"Don't worry yourself about it I know where the last emerald is, it is in the possession of my brothers companion." Yang said as he looked over the jewels.

"Now you have your gems now how about my money?" Nack asked as he crossed his arms and waited.

"Oh yes your reward, F46." Falcon stepped from the shadows and up behind Nack.

Falcon lifted his hands and put them together as one big fist and punched Nack in the head causing him to fall unconscious to the floor.

"Good work F46, now take him away." Yang said as he admired the emerald he held in his hand.

"As you command master." Falcon said as he threw Nack over his shoulder and headed out the door and for the prisoner wing.

"All the pieces are coming together perfectly."


	13. Lets get real close

**CHAPTER 13: LETS GET REAL CLOSE**

Metal Sonic ran from Metal Amy who was chasing him around the room. "I'll get for that Metal!"

"You mean if you can catch me?" Metal Sonic retorted as he continued to run around the room.

Metal Sonic flashed back to what he had done earlier.

"_Metal Amy wake up charge time is over." He said as he shook her trying to wake her form her charging mode. _

"_Oh….Metal…." was all Metal Amy said before going back into sleep mode._

"_You asked for it." Metal Sonic said as he threw a large can of oil all over Metal Amy._

_She came out of sleep mode so fast it would make your head spin. "Metal Sonic, ewwwwww I'll get you."_

Metal Sonic's flash back was interrupted when he fell to the floor. He shook his head and his vision scanners came back online he found Metal Amy on top of him. "I told you I would get you." She said as she propped her elbows on his chest and let her head rest in her hands.

"OkAY so you got lucky." He said as he looked up at her.

"Whatever Metal, you're just lucky I don't pull your power plug." She said as she stood up.

"Like you could even get that close." Metal said as he stood up and began to dust himself off.

Then right at that moment Metal Amy stepped so close there faces were almost touching. She came even closer her metal mouth almost touching his. "I just did." She said as she looked into his eyes witch were burning a bright red. She backed away as someone entered the room.

"Metal Sonic I ….. oh you have gotten Metal Amy in proper working order I see." Falcon said as he stood in the doorway.

Falcon walked in and leaned against the wall next to the door and then eyed the two robots. "Metal Sonic my master has a request for you."

"What is it?" Metal Sonic asked.

"He wants to send you to one of Eggman's oldest bases and he wants you to retrieve the central egg core." Falcon answered.

"What is the central egg core?" Metal Sonic asked as he looked at Falcon.

"It's basically a giant battier that my master wants to help power a few other things around this base." Falcon answered as he watched the robots.

"Fine I will go and retrieve it but there's a price to pay." Metal Sonic said as he crossed his arms and glared at Falcon.

"Name your price." Falcon asked in annoyance.

"I want freedom to go wherever I want so that I may seek my vengeance on Sonic the hedgehog." Metal said as he clinched his fists at the sound of **'HIS' **name.

Falcon cooked an eyebrow at him, but then shook his head as to say yes. Then Falcon exited the room. Metal Amy watched the stranger leave then turned to Metal Sonic she wondered who that was, she hadn't even left the room that Metal Sonic had awoken her in let alone met anyone else who was in the base. "Metal who was that?"

"That was Falcon, just another pun in my plan." He said as he looked over at Metal Amy.

"What?" Metal Amy said as she looked at Metal Sonic confused.

"Don't worry it will all become very clear very soon." Metal Sonic said as he began to walk toward the door.

Metal Amy grabbed his arm from behind. "Metal I want to go with you." She said as she came closer still holding on to his arm, and she looked up into his eyes wanting terribly to go with him.

Metal Sonic turned around and put his hands on her shoulders. "Metal Amy I can't take you, I would be putting you in danger, you have no fighting components it's to dangerous."

"Alright, but just promise me you'll come back." She said as she looked up at him.

"Don't worry I will come back for you I promise." He said as he let go of her and turned back towards the door.

Metal Amy didn't say anything else as she watched him disappear through the door. Metal Sonic turned around as he walked down the hall and gave the door one last look before turning a corner and heading for the exit of the base. "I will never leave you." He said as he left the base and took to the sky.

Shadow and Amy were walking behind the rest of the group as the others continued to head north. Amy had finally agreed to help them out, she didn't know it but the guy they were looking for was the same one that she had fled from the day before. She was deep in thought, wondered what she was going to do if Falcon was to come for her again. Shadow was walking next to her, and as he did he noticed something he hadn't before. On Amy's left arm was a scar it was in the shape of an X. Shadow stared at it for a moment. "Amy where did you get that scar?" He asked as he continued to stare at it.

"To tell you the truth I don't really know." She said as she looked at it herself. "Remember when I told you I woke up on that floating island?"

"Yes."

"Well when I woke up there I had that scar I didn't know how I got it or who or what gave it to me, and I didn't care." She said as she turned her view from the healed wound.

Loire noticed Ying as he continued to look back at Amy. "Hey Ying why do you keep eyeing her?"

"It's nothing Lore." He said as he turned back to face the direction in which they were going. Hanging around Loire was causing Ying to soften he had even began to call Loire by a nick name which was Lore.

"Ying I wasn't born yesterday." Loire said as she looked at Ying with a smart smirk.

"Well, Lore I just feel I have seen her before there's something about her that rings a bell." He said as he glanced back at her once more.

"Really are you sure you've seen her before?" She asked as she looked at him quite interested.

"Yes I'm positive but I don't know where." He said as she stared at the ground trying to think.

"Oh come on Ying don't worry about it; it will come to you soon or later." She said as she linked her arm with his and leaned her head on his shoulder.

Ying just looked down at her as she kept her head on his shoulder and her eyes closed. He smiled softly as he watched her, he couldn't figure out what this warm fuzzy feeling that made him very happy was, just being around her made him feel amazing. He didn't linger on the subject, he kept in mind that he would soon have to return back into the Master Emerald and then he may never see Loire again. The thought sadden him a great deal. Loire looked up at him noticing his saddened look.

"Ying what's the matter?" She asked as she looked into his solid black eyes.

"Nothing, nothing at all Lore." Ying wasn't about to worry Loire with his petty thoughts.

Metal Sonic had finally reached Egghead's old base it was located far out in the desert. He was now facing the entrance. He pushed open the door witch was so old it fell to the floor, from its hinges. He looked around scanning the area then his scanners picked up something heading right for him. His scanners were picking up 10 small missiles heading strait for him, he simply held up his hands and his finger missiles easily countered the on coming missiles. "Eggman you always were too easy." Metal Sonic said as he walked past the debris on the floor. Metal Sonic continued through the base. His scanners were picking up the strong energy signature of the egg core.

Metal sonic turned down another long hallway and there at the end of the long metal corroder was a small green sphere that was outlined with gold and it hovered over a small alter. Metal Sonic smirked as he looked at it. He began to walk towards it but was stopped by two 5,000 degree fire shooters that ejected from the wall shooting fire. Metal Sonic stopped a few inches away just barley missing the flames. He took a few steps further then he noticed a movement in the walls he turned to see that spikes were being shot from the wall. He ran to get out of the way of the on coming spikes. He was hit by one of the spikes as he got out of the range of fire. He stood up and pulled the spike out of his left arm. Then continued toward the end of the hallway, all of a sudden acid began to spit out of the wall. Metal Sonic did a double jump over the acid landing in front of the alter. "Finally Egghead's traps were annoying but you are worth it." He said as he gazed at the egg core. Metal Sonic reached out and picked it up and then he thought back to what Falcon had said about it. He had said that it was just an over sized battier, but when Metal Sonic scanned it he found that it supplied less energy than a double A battier. "If this thing isn't really a power source than what is it?" Metal Sonic scanned it once more. He then opened a file that had a few blueprints on the subject. Metal Sonic didn't find out much but he found out what its real purpose was. The egg core wasn't suppose to supply power it was to hold it, to help contain and control great masses of energy. Metal Sonic didn't waste any more time he turned and began his journey back to Yang's base. As Metal flew through the sky, he held the egg core in his hand while looking at, he knew that it was something important, something big was happening that involved this thing, why else would Falcon lie about it.

It was getting darker now and the group had been traveling through the snow covered forest all day. They decided to stop for the night in small cave they had found. It was cold and damp but it was better than being out in the blizzard that was brewing outside. They were so close now. The snow and ice had frozen almost everything. All that could be seen from the cave opening was snow. Shadow was sitting on the top of a high rock next to Amy. Loire was sitting against the wall about midway into the cave, accompanied by Ying. Knuckles was standing at the opening of the cave staring outward, and Rouge was located in a back corner of the cave. Knuckles turned and looked at everyone but Rouge was the one who caught his eye she was all alone and she looked like she was freezing to death. He began to walk towards her and when he reached his destination he took a seat beside her.

"You okay?" Knuckles asked as he took a seat.

"Yea just being frozen alive." She said as she gave smile.

Knuckles just stared he hated seeing her this way. He then remembered his promise that he had made to her back at the lake, he had promised he would always be there for her and protect her and that's what he was going to do. Knuckles turned to Rouge and suddenly picked her up and placed her in his lap, rapping his arms around her, and pulling her close.

"Knuckles what- what are you doing?" She asked as she looked at him with a blushing face.

"I have to do something to keep you warm or you might really freeze to death." He said as he held her close.

Rouge just nodded, and laid her head on his chest, and he rest his own head on top of hers as he gentle ran his hands up down her arm trying to warm them.

Loire looked up at Ying, noticing he hadn't shivered, flinched or anything mostly because he was somewhat abnormal he wasn't vulnerable to heat or cold. "You sure are lucky you can't even feel cold or warm, but I'm freezing."

Ying looked at Loire who was clutching her arms trying to warm up. He looked away for a moment and then noticed Rouge and Knuckles. Knuckles had made it clear that he didn't love Rouge or more that he couldn't love her yet he was doing this for her. He couldn't comprehend it very well but he decided to follow Knuckles example.

He comes close to Loire and wraps his arms around her.

"Ying what are you doing?" She asks as her cheeks flush bright red.

"Just trying to keep you from as you say 'freezing'." He said as he tightens his grip around her.

"Right, Ying you are flirting." She said as she wraps her arms around him.

Ying looked at her he tilted his head to the side a bit in a cute fashion as he stared at her. "What is flirt?"

Loire looked up at him, with a smile. "Jeez you weren't kidding when you said you spent a thousand years incased in an emerald."

Amy and Shadow were just sitting on top of the rock not talking. Amy looks over at Shadow and then she gives a sigh of annoyances, and rolls her eyes. She scoots as close to Shadow as she can and picks up his hand in her own. "I know you may find this weak look I couldn't agree more, but it's survival of the fittest out here and I'm not going to die now I've been through to much not to stay alive."

Shadow stared at her for moment. He could see right through her, after she had poured her sole out to him that night he ignored the nasty personality that Amy put on for everyone else and saw through to the real Amy locked up inside. He wasn't sure what he was doing it's like someone else just took over. He got closer to Amy and leaned his head on hers.

"Amy you don't have to pretend around me." He said as he rubbed Amy's hands with his own trying to cause a little friction.

Amy looked at him blushing very slightly, then letting a little half smile form, and remaining silent.

Metal Sonic entered the base and headed for Yang's office. He reached it and entered. The room was dark as usual and as he passed through the door a spotlight hit him and he could see Yang's evil solid white eyes staring at him from the darkness of the shadows.

"Yang I couldn't get the egg core it wasn't at Eggman's base."

"Hum …. fine you may go." Yang instructed as he narrowed his eyes on the departing robot.

"Master, he lies." Falcon said as his icy blue eyes became visible in the darkness.

"Yes I know, and he will give me the egg core, he doesn't have a choice in the matter."

Metal Sonic entered his room to find Metal Amy missing. "Metal Amy?" He called for her as he scanned the room.

But there was no answer. He began to think for a minute. 'Where is she?' "Wait….No!" Metal Sonic quickly exited the room. Metal Sonic had been planning his rebellion on Yang ever since he was reactivated but that was all screwed now. He ran down the hall as quickly as he could, without stopping as thoughts of her ran though his mind.


	14. Love hurts

Ok some of my reviews are questioning the naming of Ying and Yang, yes yang represnts the good and ying represents bad but I switched the names in this story its kinda like irony if you know what I mean but don't stop questioning that's what like to do with my stories get people thinking.

P.S. thank u guys for not being mean about the errors I make and yes I make a lot of them.

**CHAPTER 14: LOVE HURTS**

It was a little past midnight now. Knuckles suddenly woke up feeling that something was missing and something was really more of a someone. Knuckles found that Rouge was not within the cave. He stood up and very carefully so as not to wake the others approached the entrance of the cave. He looked outside the blizzard had past and the sky was cloudless every star in the sky could be seen, and not a single flurry fell it was beautiful like a winter wonder land. But what caught Knuckles attention were the foot prints in the snow, he assumed they belonged to Rouge, and began to follow them. In a few moments Knuckles reached what seemed to be a frozen oasis. He looked around he saw a very small body of water and some frozen palm trees around the area, and then he saw her. Rouge was at the edge of the frozen water she was on her knees staring at her reflection in the ice. Knuckles slowly approached her.

Rouge heard his footsteps and lifted her head slightly as her ears twitched Knuckles stopped moving. "Rouge?" He said in a soft tone.

Rouge stood up and turned to face him, but remained silent. Knuckles could see a single tear running down the side of her face as it glistened in the moonlight. He came closer they were only a few inches away from one another now.

"What are you doing out here?" He asked as he gazed upon her she was quite lovely in the moonlight, it made her smooth white fur shine, and her sweet sea blue eyes couldn't be missed.

She turned her gaze to his. "Nothing, I just couldn't sleep and I have a lot on my mind is all." She answered in a soft hushed voice.

"What is it that plagues your mind so?" He asked as he looked at her questionably.

"It's you Knuckles." She said as took his hand and put it to her face. "I can't stop thinking about you." "There's nothing else in this world that I want, I just want you."

"Rouge…" He said as he turned his sight to the ground.

Rouge dropped his hands and put her own hands on his face and pulled his head up to hers and looked into his eyes she brought him closer.

"Rouge what are you doing?" He asked as his eyes got wide.

"Something I should have done along time ago." She brought his lips to her own in a sweet kiss. It was a kiss of romance ho they loved each other but Knuckles was persistent in his promise to protect her and he knew that to do that he would have to let her go.

The two held the kiss for moment but Knuckles broke it and began to back away form her.

"Rouge don't ever do that again." He said as he turned his back to her. Those words cut into him like knifes.

"Knuckles please…, let me love you." The sadness and the coming of tears could be heard in her voice. "You said you'd always be there for me Knuckles… but you're not." She said as she turned and ran from him leaving only her tracks behind.

Knuckles fists began to shake as the tightness within them grew, his nails grinding threw his gloves scraping his skin causing silent drops of blood to fall to the surface of the white snow.

Knuckles mind was filled with unhappiness and confusion. He suddenly turned in the direction that Rouge had ran off in only to see her tracks in the snow he fell to his knees. "Why, is this happening?" He yelled as he looked in the direction of Rouge's footprints. His head dropped and then he saw his blood on the ground he had squezzed his fists so tightly that his nails had dug through his gloves and cut his palm, he stared at the blood that dripped from his hand on to the white snow and then began to say something. "I was born on a floating island in the heavens the blood of my ancestors flows inside me my duty is to the Master Emerald." He pulled his head up and looked in the direction of Rouge one last time then he pulled himself up from the ground turned slowly and began to walk back towards the cave.

Shadow's eye creaked open as he heard Knuckles renter the cave he notice that Rouge was missing. He sat up slightly being very careful not to wake Amy who was asleep on top of him. "Knuckles where's Rouge?" He asked in a quite voice.

"She…went home." Knuckles answered as he took a lonely seat in the back of the cave.

Shadow didn't say anything else about it he just snuggled closer to Amy and fell asleep, as he thought to himself. 'Don't worry Knuckles you'll find her again.'

Metal Sonic turned down another hallway he was finally only a turn away from Yang's office. He reached it after it seemed like hours witch had only been minutes or maybe seconds. He burst through the door. "What'd you do with Metal Amy!" He demanded.

"Calm yourself Metal Sonic." Yang said as he stepped out of the shadows.

"Where is she?" Metal Sonic yelled as he ran at Yang and picked him up by his throat.

"I suggest that you put me down if you ever want to see her in one piece again."

Metal Sonic slowly lowered him to the ground and stared at him, his eyes glowing a very strong red.

"That's what I thought." Yang said as he folded his arms and began to pace around Metal Sonic

"You were to easy Metal Sonic I knew that letting you take Metal Amy that day would the key to your control."

"What do you mean?" Metal Sonic asked as he turned around and looked at Yang.

"I knew that you would end up falling for that hunk of scrap metal, and that if I took her away you would do anything to have her back." "Face it Metal Sonic you are as weak as a new born infant."

Metal Sonic grinded his fists together making small screeching sound. "Prove to me you have her." Metal Sonic demand as he gave Yang a deathly glare.

"You require proof do you?" Yang asked as he pulled out a small remote and he pressed a button on it.

Metal Sonic heard a noise that sounded like scrapping metal he turned around to see a wall preceding toward him it stopped and there strapped to it by solid steal chains was metal Amy. Her arms were bounded together above her head, and her feet were bounded the same way at the bottom. She lifted her head and saw Metal Sonic standing there. Her eyes brightened as she stared at him. Metal Sonic walked up to her and put a metal hand to her face. She just looked up at him for moment before she began to speak. "Metal I'm so sorry it's my fault that you're in the mess but I didn't mean for it to happen I tried to run from them but-"

"Shh it's okay I shouldn't have left you alone but everything's going to be alright I promise." He said as he ran his hand up and down the side of her face.

"How touching; but Metal Sonic if you want to keep her alive then you'll give me the egg core…now." Yang said as he interrupted the two's conversation.

"No Metal don't do it!" Metal Amy yelled as she looked at Metal Sonic who had turned to face Yang.

"Your running out of time maybe a demonstration is in order." Yang pressed a button on the remote and a strong felid of electricity ran through Metal Amy.

"NO stop!" Metal Sonic cried out as he turned back to Metal Amy only to see her suffering.

"Then I suggest that you hand over the egg core." Yang answered.

Metal Sonic turned back to Yang and then he pulled out the egg core it glowed as it was reviled to the evil black echidna. Metal Sonic walked toward Yang and placed the egg core in his palm. Yang admired what he now had in possession as he fumbled with it in his hands. Metal Sonic became slightly impatient. "You have what you want now release her."

"You have no room to talk Metal Sonic now if you want her to live then I suggest you do precisely as I tell you." Yang answered as he turned his view to the robot.

The sun began to peak over the horizon, and at the first raze Knuckles awoke. He didn't get much sleep that night he kept feeling a sharp pain in his heart and he was so new to it so new to the feeling of heart break. He shook Ying awake and told him to wake the others while he walked outside of the cave and began to scan the area for the base.

Ying sat there for a moment admiring the girl that was still sleeping with his arms wrapped around her. He was amazed at the sensations he felt just from her touch it made his senses go wild and his mind insane. He then came back to Earth as he remembered Knuckle's orders. He gently began to shake her. "Loire time to wake up." He whispered softly into her ear.

Loire's eyes slowly opened as she began to slightly blush at Ying's closeness. Ying gently nuzzled his face on top of her head trying to persuade her to get up. She couldn't resist she nuzzled him back slightly. "You really know how to get a girl up in the morning." She said softly as she ended her nuzzle.

Ying also stopped nuzzling and stood up then he offered her a hand to help her up as well. She took his hand and he pulled her a little too hard, she landed closely on him her hands on his chest as her lips slightly brushed against his. The two blushed at the touch of the others lips. Loire's hands remained on his chest as she looked up at him their eyes locked. Loire was the first to come back to reality, she removed herself from him as her face continued to flush with red. She smiled at him as she turned and walked out of the cave watching him out of the corner of her eye as she made her exit. Ying watched her until she was out of sight his face still burning with intensity. He walked over and jumped on top of the rock that Amy and Shadow were on he was surprised to find the two so close. He gently shook Shadow's shoulder. Shadow opened his eyes slightly.

"Shadow you need to wake up and also get Amy up as well it's time to move." Ying said softly, and walked away.

Shadow stretched his arms up as Amy continued to let her head lay on his chest. Shadow lifted Amy's head up slightly so that her ear was at his lips. "Amy, it's time to get up." He said in a soft gentle voice.

Amy's eyes opened slightly then she remembered where she was and who she was there with. She jerked away slightly, and ran her hands through her quills like she did every morning. "umm…morning Shadow." She said in a slightly enthusiastic voice.

Shadow didn't reply he just stared at her she was almost more herself when she was a sleep. Shadow knew that sooner or later the real Amy would bubble to the surface. She got up and gracefully jumped to the ground and left the cave followed by Shadow. They met up with the others a few yards away from their previous position. Loire was setting on a tree limb right above Ying's head and Knuckles was kneeling to the ground and was sketching something in the sand.

"Look I just got done scanning the area out and I found the base." Knuckles stopped moving the stick around in the sand. "Okay this is a sketch of the building there's a small window on the roof just big enough for Amy to slip through, my plan is that she gets in finds the security system and kills it, there's a slight electrical pulse most likely created by security precautions around the building so I should know when she kills the security, mean while Shadow and Loire will go to the front and cause a distraction to lure most of the guards out the building making it easier for Amy to get to security." He point at varies place on the drawing to infuses where they were each to go.

"What about you, and Ying?" Loire questioned.

"While you guys are doing your part Ying and I will sneak around back and when Amy has killed the defenses we will sneak in and find Yang and put him back where he belongs incased in the Master Emerald."

"Well what are we waiting for lets get moving!" Shadow said as he slammed his fist into his open hand.

The group began to head for the base Loire jumped out of the tree and began to follow Amy and Shadow who were behind Knuckles, but she was stopped by a hand holding on to hers. She turned to see Yang standing there, staring at her. "Loire I fear that I will soon be leaving this world and I want you to know that I will miss you when I am gone." He said as he let go of her hand.

"What do you mean you're leaving?" Loire said in a frantic voice, it only just occurred to her that Ying would have to leave her.

"When Knuckles and myself place Yang back into the Master Emerald I will accept the same fate." He answered.

"But why should you have to go you didn't do anything wrong?" She said in a slightly loud voice that was tainted with grief.

"Because Yang is my brother and I am the goodness that exists with in the Master Emerald and if I do not return with Yang then chaos and misbalance will surly form within the Mater Emerald."

Loire stood there her eyes wide and she was close to tears. Ying could not face her he walked forward and followed the others giving Loire a moment alone. She watched him walk into the forest she wanted so badly to run after him and just hold him tightly in her arms, she wanted him to hold her back and tell her everything was okay but the situation was far beyond simple comfort. She held back her tears and slowly oh so slowly but surly began to walk in the same direction.

Shadow was standing behind some bushes looking at the front of the base Knuckles was talking with Ying and Amy was standing on the top branch of a tree, waiting for the plan to take action. Lorie was now approaching them and she took her stand next to the tree that Amy was in not bothering to make eye contact with anyone.

"Okay guys this is it we have to make this work the first time cause we only got one shot." Knuckles said as he came up next to Shadow. "You all know your jobs so let's move." With that Knuckles took off to the left making sure to stay in the hidden protection of the forest and was being followed by Ying.

Loire jumped over the bushes and began to slowly walk toward the front of the building; Amy jumped from the tree and began to walk to the right, when her arm was caught by a hand wrapped around her wrist. She turned to see the hand belonged to Shadow. "Promise me you'll be careful." Shadow asked as he held her wrist firmly.

Amy turned so that she was fully facing him, she took her hand that was connected to the wrist he was holding on to and held Shadow's wrist tightly just as he held hers. "I'll be fine; I can take care of myself Shade." She said as she released his wrist and pulled away and began to head for the left wing of the building.

Shadow watched her run until she was out of sight, "for your sake and mine I hope you're right" he said as he began to jog to catch up with Loire who was only a few feet away from the entrance of the base.


	15. Getting inside

**CHAPTER 15: GETTING INSIDE**

Amy found her way to the full right wing of the base she very carefully slinked past the cameras located on the corner of the building and did some fancy foot work as she jumped from one wall to the other immediately next to it, jumping back in froth in this motion until she reached the roof. She found the window that Knuckles had told her about it was just big enough for her to get through she put her hands to the glass as she stared at what was on the other side. It was a long hallway lined with a few robotic guards. She kept her eyes on each of them waiting for the signal to make her move.

"Falcon would you be so kind as to escort Metal Sonic back to his room take Metal Amy as well." Yang ordered as he playfully tossed the egg core up and down in his hand.

"As you command." Falcon stepped toward Metal Sonic.

"But first, make sure you shut off his battle abilities. " Yang warned.

"That is not possible; my fighting compotes are built in to my system." Metal Sonic clamed.

"You didn't really think I was that stupid do you, before I brought you back online you think I didn't do a little up grade on you first?" Yang asked as he walked behind Metal Sonic then opened the back of his head and pulled out the black and gold chip that he had implanted into the robot before he ever activated him, Metal Sonic made no attempt to avoid him he knew what the consequences would be for defiance. Yang waved the chip in front of Metal Sonic. "You see without this your circuits have no memory of your weapons and all your weapons systems have been shut down."

Metal Sonic dropped his head as he looked at the cold metallic floor in defeat. Falcon walked up behind him and pushed his gun to Metal Sonic's back, telling him to move. Yang pressed a button on his remote that released Metal Amy from the wall and the robot guard began to lead her behind Flacon, back to Metal Sonic's room. The doors opened automatically as Falcon pushed Metal Sonic into his room then the robot guard shoved Metal Amy in after him and the doors shut. Falcon pushed a code into the number pad next to the door and locked it, and then headed back to Yang's office.

"Metal I'm so sorry!" Metal Amy cried as she went to her knees in front of Metal Sonic. "I understand if you want my hard drive ripped out." She said as she looked downward, but a metal hand pulled her face up so that she was facing Metal Sonic.

"No, it's not your fault, like I said before I shouldn't have left you alone." He said as he went to his own knees in front her.

"Metal what's going to happen to us?" She asked as she moved over closer to him.

"I don't know Metal Amy for once I truly don't know." He answered as he wrapped his arms around her and tried to think of an answer for the question.

Loire looked up slightly as she viewed the two robots that were standing at the giant metallic blue doors of the base. The Robots saw her walk strait up to the doors and she was about to grab the huge brassy handle when one of the robots smacked her hand away and held a gun up at her. The robot's finger began to press on the trigger when suddenly a black rotating ball struck the robot from its left and sent it smashing into the ground causing it to spark and then explode. "Don't cha know it's not nice to hold a gun to a lady?" Shadow mocked as he stood in the spot the dead robot once had.

Then unexpectedly the other robot jumped on Shadow and his hand turned into a blade. The sharp edge came close to Shadow's neck, Loire pulled the robot off Shadow being careful not to injure him in the process, then she wrapped her own arm around the robots neck holding it tightly and put her free hand to its head and sending a mec-shock wave through the robot and destroying it. The metal shell of the robot dropped to the ground as Loire took her arm from around its neck.

"Loire I know Knuckles said to cause a distraction but did you have'ta be so thickheaded about it?" Shadow asked as he rubbed the spot on his neck where the blade would have cut him had Loire not saved him.

"He said to cause a distraction he didn't say it mattered how." Loire retorted with a hint of hate on her words as she once again reached for the door handle and opened it.

"Look I'm just saying…." Shadow's voice went silent as his eyes fell upon what was behind the door. Practically an army of black metal echidna robots stood there. The eyes of the robots began to glow red as they scanned the intruders and raised each of their guns up at Shadow and Loire.

Loire crossed her arms as she brought her head up and viewed the robots. "You want a fight I'll give you fight you picked the wrong time to piss me off." Loire said as she sifted her feet on the floor making her way into a battle position. "Shadow I have a plan just do exactly what I tell you." She said as her arms were no straitened out as she crouched down slightly.

"What are we going to-"

"For once just trust me be ready for any move I make and you do the same." She answered him.

The tips of the guns began to glow red as the laser prepared to fire, then out of no where Loire jumped into the air Shadow almost hesitated but did the same. The guns fire but missed as they hit the empty spot where Shadow and Loire no longer stood. Still in the air Loire now had her eyes shut and her hands clasped together and to her forehead it looked as if she was praying. Her eyes shot open, she held her hands out strait and began to spin faster and faster until she made a tornado, but she didn't stop there as she continued to spin she let an electrical shock wave flow through her body and it blasted from her palms and into the whirling wind, creating a giant electrical spinning wind of death. The tornado moved toward the robots and as it did Loire's body could be seen hovering in the same place never moving until the tornado was no longer touching her. Then her body began to fall but her senses kicked in and she turned right side up and landed on one knee, her hand was balled into a fist and keeping her balanced on the ground. When she stood up and pulled her fist from the ground her knuckle imprint was left imbedded in the floor. There were only a few robots left as the death attack came to a mere breeze, but sliding doors were opening and robots were poring out of them.

Amy looked into the window again, but this time all the robots she had seen earlier were rushing through doors as the halls flashed with red lights. She knew this was her cue to move in. She waited until every robot was out of the hallway then she busted in through the window, broken glass was all around her and a few cuts were found on her arms. She began to run in the opposite direction of the robots. The hallway seemed to go on forever, but when she reached the end of it she was about to turn a corner when she saw two Shadow's cast upon the wall around the bend. She stopped and pushed her self up against another wall so that she could hear the voices and hopefully not be seen.

"Look just go to the defense room put the security systems on maximum alert!" A voice boomed it was obviously Falcon judging from the harsh venom on his words.

Amy poked her head around the bend very slightly just enough so she could see who Flacon was talking too. She saw the ebony wolf speaking to a black echidna robot that only nodded its head and turned to walk away. Falcon shook his head at the robot as if it were but a child who could understand nothing before turning in the opposite direction and departing as well. Amy watched the robot as it began down another hallway on its own. She carefully followed it being sure not to make a sound. The robot walked down the hallway then turned left at a crossing, Amy sprinted quietly to catch up so as not to lose it. But when she turned the corner she found the robot was gone she looked all around the corridor the strangest thing was that it was a dead end. "Where could it have gone?" She asked herself as she searched the passageway once more. She noticed the tile patterns on the floor, they were knida like what you see in an old fashioned kitchen, black and white squares arranged so that a white tile never touches another white tile and black tile never touches another black one. She looked at it very closely and noticed that in the very back corner there were two black tiles placed next to each other. This made her curious as she looked at them, and then she kneeled down to it and pushed on them the two tiles went down about 1in and the wall at the end of the passageway began to turn. She took a step back as she watched the wall move. She saw that it was about to close again and she jumped into the small opening it made before it was blocked up again. She slid on to the hard floor on the other side the wall now back in place. She stood up and looked around she saw the robot echidna working at a control panel. She very slowly and soundlessly approached it from behind. The content on the big computer screen reflect in its emotionless red robotic eyes, but then suddenly an arm had went strait through the robot's upper body. The arm retracted the arm belong to Amy who rubbed her arm a little, that took some smarts and know how to hit that robot and destroy it with one well placed punch. Amy looked at the X shaped scar on her arm it was slightly reopened some trickles of blood ran down over the scar making it look like it was just made. Her body stopped its motion and in her mind she saw a bright light, she was having a flashback. She saw herself back on that floating island she had woken up on and there was a giant green emerald and standing in front of it was a dark figure the shine of the giant gem was so bright that it kept her from seeing who it was, she could see herself laying on the ground trembling a little as the dark unseen figure approached her, it stopped a few inches away; it kneeled down in front of her then he leaned in close and whispered something into her ear "As…you…wish." Was all it said before taking something sharp and cutting her arm and leaving a scar in the shape of an X. Amy blinked her eyes as her vision returned to normal the robot was still on the floor dead she was on her hands and knees on the floor. She gently pushed herself up and stumbled over to the computer screen. She began to type on the keyboard, opening files and such. She finally came across the power folder. She opened it up, and shut down the security. As she finished her task she thought about what see had envisioned. "I hate this place I wish it would burn to the ground." She said as she pressed the enter button to confirm her actions on the computer. Then an idea popped into Amy's head she finished her mission and then began a little mission of her own. "This place is history." She began hacking into the systems main frame and getting special data. She added something to the computer's system, and then she began to type in one more thing. She had just pressed the last key when suddenly a hand had pressed her head to the keyboard and another held her arms behind her back.

"You came back, Yang said you would."

Amy knew that voice all to well; the pure spite in his voice was unmistakable. "Falcon; I can't say it's nice to see you again."

"You're coming with me." He said as he pulled her by her arms up off the keyboard and began to walk her out the door.

When the wall had closed back again the computer screen was flashing in the darkness, a message in red words flashed by, 'PASSOWRD confirmed, detonation SEQUENCE IN 2 HOURS'


	16. Flesh and metal

**CHAPTER 16: FLESH AND METAL **

"Knuckles are you okay; you seem as if your mind is on something else?" Ying asked as he watched Knuckles.

"I'm fine, just a little distracted." He answered as he put a hand to the base's wall again. "The electrical field is gone, Amy did it lets go." Knuckles lifted his fist and smashed a giant hole in the wall. He ran in followed by Ying.

"Which way do we go?" Knuckles said as he looked down all the different corridors.

"I might be able to help with that, when my brother and I are close enough we can find each other by our energy signatures, I should be able to find Yang." Ying closed his eyes and began to concentrate his eyes then snapped open. "That way." He pointed striate head into a wall.

"No problem." Knuckles lifted his fist and smashed the wall down.

"What is that?" Metal Amy asked as she got closer to Metal Sonic when the left wall was knocked in.

Metal Sonic took Metal Amy from around him and stood up in a defense position. "Who's there?" He demanded.

"Metal Sonic is that you what are you doing here?" Knuckles asked as the dust cleared and he got a better view of who was talking to him.

"Knuckles, well this is just perfect how many surprise am I going to get in one day!" Metal Sonic said as he crossed his arms and looked at the red echidna.

"Are these friends of yours?" Ying asked as he eyed the two robotic hedgehogs.

"No, but at the moment they're not my enemy either." Knuckles answered.

"What are you doing here Knuckles?" Metal Sonic asked.

"Ying and I have a score to settle with Yang, what are you doing here?"

"I was working for Yang, but now I'm but a prisoner…Metal Amy and I."

"You wanna come with us?" Knuckles offered.

"I'm afraid you want be going anywhere, none of you will." A voice said from behind them.

They all turned to see Falcon standing there, his arms crossed and a smirk on his face, as he leaned against the frame of the door.

"And you plan to stop us how?" Knuckles asked.

"Well if you don't do as I say your little friend want have a very pleasant future." He pulled out a small metal device that produced a small holographic picture of Amy in chains locked away in a prison cell.

"Amy, what is she doing there?" Knuckles said to know in particular.

"Now if you don't mind I want you all to follow me, and that includes you two?" Flacon said as he gave Metal Amy and Sonic a glare.

They all walked down the hall being marched by Falcon. "How did you know we were here?" Knuckles asked.

"Yang told me, you were here I don't know how my master knew but he did."

"Wait…Ying your energy signature that's how he knew we were here." Knuckles said as he looked at Ying.

"Shut up and move." Falcon said as he urged them on.

Falcon led them to the prison wing the group looked into the cells as they past by each one. The first one contained Nack who was pissed off, the first thing out of his mouth when had woken up was "Great I'm goanna miss my date."

The second had Amy in it and the third held Shadow and Loire. Falcon pushed them all into the cell with Shadow and Loire, Flacon walked over to the black hedgehog and pulled him up and his shoulder and shoved him into the cell with Amy to make room for the others. "There now stay put." Falcon reentered the previous cell and approached Knuckles. "The red emerald; give it to me." Falcon demanded.

"Over my dead body." Knuckles answered giving Falcon a death glare.

Falcon held up his metallic gun pointing it at Knuckles head. "That can be arranged." "Or better yet…" He pointed the gun at Ying and Loire. "…how about theirs." His finger began to pull on the trigger.

"Wait…" Knuckles pulled out the red emerald and tossed it Falcon who caught it in his free hand.

"Wise decision or so it seems for now…not that it really matters you'll all die soon anyway." Falcon turned and left the dungeon.

Ying held Loire close his eyes were close to tears, she was cut and bruised up badly she barely seemed alive. "Loire what happened to you?"

She opened her eyes slightly and looked up at the one who was holding her so closely. "Ying I'm sorry so sorry, we did the best we could but there were just too many for Shadow and me to handle, they just kept coming and coming…" Her breathing became hard out of pure fear and horror.

"Shh it's okay." Ying ran his hand through her hair trying to calm her.

Metal Sonic and Amy were setting on the other side of the cell watching the scene play out. "Metal I am fearful of what is going to happen to us."

"Don't worry I want let anything happen to you…not again." Metal Sonic wrapped an arm around her as they sat there on the floor.

Loire looked over at the two, she felt bad for them, if only they were…human. She looked up at Ying. "Ying I want to ask you something."

"Yes?"

"Can you turn them into…flesh and blood?"

"What, well I might be able to but why-?"

"It's just they deserve this I can see how much they want each other, over time a soul as formed with in each of them and those soles need your help to be set free from the metal shell witch imprisons them."

"Loire I don't know about this."

"Ying if you won't do it for them then do it for me."

Ying looked at her, she was falling into unconsciousness he felt almost helpless Loire had such a big heart, here she was close to death and she was worried about someone else's problems. He gently laid her down and stood up and approached the two metal figures. When he stopped in front of them they only looked at him silently. "Do you want to live?" He asked them.

"What?" Metal Sonic replied.

"Do you want to be alive; do you want to be able to see real colors, to taste, to smell, to touch and feel, and to love?"

"Can you do that?" Metal Amy asked.

"Only if you wish it." He answered.

"Metal can we?" She asked him.

"What have got to lose?" He replied.

Ying kneeled down in front of the two and place a hand on each of their heads, and then he closed his eyes and began to consecrate his power. A bright light engulfed the three. Knuckles shield his eyes as the light grew brighter. When the light died down, there were three figures still sitting there but they were all flesh and blood now, Ying stepped away and sat back down with Loire. Metal Amy opened her eyes she looked down at her hands, they were now covered with pink fur only it had a metallic shine to it, her hard metal dress that resemble the old red one Amy use to where was now real thread and fabric, and it held on to her hips tightly and didn't spread out like Amy's dress did, and her metal boots were now real leather and had a metal band going across the tops of them. Metal Sonic had gone through similar changes, he now had real blue fur and like Metal Amy's it had a metallic shine to it, and he now wore a pair of black jeans that had a metal chain hanging from his left side, his shoes were now a darkish gray instead of red and they still had their whit stripes, he looked so much like Sonic that you might think they were twins. Metal Amy looked up from her new body and up at Metal Sonic. She lifted her hand and put it to his face. For once she could feel, she could actually touch him. Metal Sonic returned the motion.

"Metal is this for real?"

"It's real enough for me." Metal replied as he pulled Metal Amy close to him, and did something he had wanted to do ever since he realized her couldn't live with out her, he kissed her.

Metal Amy kissed him back and enjoyed every second of it. "Hey you two get a room!" Knuckles yelled playfully.

Metal Sonic pulled away from her, and looked at Knuckles. "Shut up Knuckles!" He yelled back with a smirk on his face.


	17. It was you

**CHAPTER 17: IT WAS YOU**

In the other cell Amy stared at Shadow he was lying on the floor and was in the same conditions as Loire, beaten terribly. Despite the chains Amy pulled herself over to Shadow. "Shadow please be alright please you said you'd never die on me." She began to cry two tears falling from her eyes. It was one of the first times in a long, long time she had let herself cry willingly. She shut her eyes as she sat next to the black hedgehog.

"I know I promised and I'll keep my promise."

Amy opened her eyes and saw Shadow's eyes slightly open staring up at her. Shadow saw the chains around her, and he sat up slightly. He then powered up for a single shot. "Chaos spear." With a small chaos spear Shadow cut the chains that held Amy.

She rubbed her wrist to get rid of the pain they were filled with from the chains and then she pulled Shadow over into the corner she had been sitting in earlier. "Thank you Shadow."

Shadow stared at her, and then he spotted Amy's bloody arm. "Your arm; what happened?"

"It was nothing a cut I got from a robot is all."

Shadow looked at her he could see an uneasiness plaguing her mind. "Tell me what's wrong."

"Shadow, I'm just…afraid." She looked downcast she felt rather stupid for telling him she was sacred but it was true.

"Amy I promise I want let anything happen to you, I swear."

"It's just there's so much I haven't done, if you can believe it I've never been to New York, road a plane, or anything that you think you would do at least once before you die, I've never even kissed s guy." That last one she couldn't figure out, she didn't know why she would say such a thing but it just seemed right, she knew that she could be honest with Shadow.

Shadow put his hand to her face and pulled his own head up slightly "I think I can help you with that." He continued to move his head upward toward Amy's but he didn't have to go very far because Amy had began to lower her head to his until their lips touched in a kiss. Shadow held the kiss pushing his mouth to hers as she put her own hand to his face urging him to hold the kiss even longer. When he broke away Amy was speechless at first, she just watched Shadow intensely he urged himself to sit up and he was able to accomplish it he now lay against the wall next to her. "Why me Shadow?"

"Because you trust me, you are like me in so many ways; you're just searching for answers and a reason to live." He had put his hand to her head running his fingers through her pink quills.

"Shadow…" Amy looked away from him and at the floor a few tears escaping her eyes.

Shadow looked at her with concern. "Amy it's going to be okay." He pulled her to him.

But Amy broke away and stood up looking down at him. "No Shadow no, it's not going to be okay!" She was screaming and hot tears covered her face now.

Just then Falcon entered the room, "I hate to interrupt, but my master requires your presences at this time." He was accompanied by a few robot guards. He walked over to Amy and Shadow's cell he opened it and put Amy's arms behind her back and began to drag her out of the cell.

As she was yanked out of the cell she did managed to say one last thing to Shadow. "Shadow everything's not going to be okay…we're all going to die." Falcon pulled her out of the cell and threw her to one of the black echidna robots.

Then he signaled for a robot to get Nack while he went for Loire, Ying, Knuckles, and Metal Amy and Sonic. He looked into the cell and saw there were no longer any robots in the cell; instead he saw the two new fleshies. "Where are the machines?" No one bothered to answer him. "Humm…not that it any longer matters." Falcon pulled out small metal object it projected a holographic version of Yang. "Sir the robots are no longer here, two real hedgehogs have been put in their place."

The hologram looked in that direction. "Falcon just bring them along I have a hunch that the androids are still here." Then the hologram disappeared.

Falcon had slapped huge metal cuffs on each of them and walked the prisoners down the hallway making sure to keep them distanced from each other so they couldn't talk. Finally Falcon stopped them at a huge door, he stepped forward and punched in some numbers on the number pad and the doors opened. The group walked into the huge room, it was a big room that was a dark metal gray and in the center was a metallic looking alter and on it were the seven chaos emeralds and at the center was the egg core to the side was a desk with a computer on it a robot was sitting there typing away it must have typed in a command, some metal claws came up from the edge around the alter and held the 7 chaos emeralds in place. Once this task was complete the robot left the area. Most of the group was looking around the room, but Amy was looking at the strange new female who looked like her twin sister. She leaned forward a little to get a better look at her before starting to speak to her. "Hey, who exactly are you?" Amy asked her look a like.

"What you don't recognize me Amy; I am or was your metal counter part." She answered as she gave the real Amy a smirk.

"You, you're…Metal Amy?" She looked her twin up and down for a moment.

"You got it, but I am no longer metal and I no longer have a specific quarrel with you but should the need a rise for one I won't back down."

"Chill; you talk as if I want to be your enemy." Amy replied.

"What do you expect she learned from the best persecutor there is." Knuckles said jokingly as he nudged Metal Sonic in the arm.

Suddenly Amy was being dragged away from her twin by Falcon. "Shut up and stand here." He ordered as he pulled her to the end of the line.

All heard a door open from behind and they turned to see pure evil enter the room.

"I trust you are all enjoying your stay?" Yang said as he walked down the line of prisoners, as he past Ying and Knuckles he gave them each a glare filled with revulsion and hatred. Then he stopped in front of the supposed new comers, he stared at them for moment and then he turned his gaze directly to Metal Sonic's eyes and watched them without even blinking as if he was searching the deepest corners of the hedgehog's soul. Yang pulled his stare from the metallic blue hedgehog, and an evilly delighted smile formed on his face as he turned his sights to Ying. "Ha…brother I never thought you had the power to do this and it surprises me that you even consider doing it for these two, I mean really turning these piles of scrap metal to flesh and blood; you've out done yourself." Yang was about to head for the egg core but then he noticed Amy standing at the end of the line glaring at him madly. "You, I knew you'd be back it was inevitable you are drawn to my power like snakes to a nest." He said with a smirk.

"Why would I be drawn to you, I hate you." She said with a face of disgust.

He lifted his head up a little higher and gave Flacon a look witch he understood perfectly, Flacon stepped up behind Amy and pushed her forward and to her knees in front of Yang then stepped back again. Yang looked at the pink hedgehog's arm and saw the bloody mess that was her scar. "Yes you are the girl from so long ago, the key to my escape." He said as he looked at the scar carefully.

Amy gawked at the echidna as if he were mad. "What are you talking about; I've never met you before."

"You'll remember just close your eyes." He told her.

"What…" She said questionably.

"Closer your eyes; see nothing but darkness and hear my voice."

Amy did as he said and closed her eyes and she heard the voice, "you know me" her eyes snapped open she jerked herself from the floor and was standing weakly on her feet.

"You, your that voice from the dark!" She said in a rather frantic voice.

"Oh I'm so much more than that." He said as he approached her.

"No stay away from me." She said in a lower voice.

"Without you I wouldn't have had a taste of real longing and hatred, and without me you wouldn't have that scar."

Ying's eyes grew wide as he looked at Yang and then at Amy. "No, you mean she…she's that girl from the past she can't be she just can't be; they are so different."

"Can you please tell us what you're talking about?" Shadow demanded.

Ying's gaze was downcast as he spoke. "She's what helped Yang to escape the Master Emerald."

"What?" Shadow yelled as he looked from Ying to Amy.

"Yes, your innocent little girlfriend isn't so innocent after all." Yang answered as he looked at Amy. "What's wrong don't you remember?" He asked with a smirk. "It was only a few years ago, you were left alone with the Master Emerald…and you wished on it just your touch gave me a taste of something I never thought I'd taste again you were so full of fear, hate, depression. When you made that wish on the Master Emerald I was there to grant it, the dark seed with in you called to me, and I knew that if I could only remember you after I escaped that you would help me again that's why you have that scar so I'd know when I found you."

"I don't understand…I don't remember making a wish on anything." Amy said as she looked at the black echidna.

"Of course you don't it's an effect of my dark power."

Then Amy finally asked the question that everyone wanted answered. "What...what did I wish for?"

"To stop loving." Yang answered without hesitation. "You never could find anyone to return your love so you gave it up all together, and that's the kind of darkness I lust for." Yang walked behind Amy as she went to her knees once more this time of her own accord. "It was so easy for me to turn her into what you see before you…a monster in the darkness…just like me."

"She'll never be like you!" Yang turned to see Shadow slightly out of line, and if looks could kill Yang would be dead and berried.

"You know nothing about her, she is darkness." Yang glared at Shadow, as he spoke.

"NO she's not!" Shadow yelled.

"Shadow….maybe he's right." Amy was still on the floor her back turned to them all.

Shadow tore from the line and was kneeling down in front of her. "Amy no you will never be like him."

"HOW DO YOU KNOW THAT SHADOW, HOW COULD YOU EVER KNOW?"

Shadow put his hand on top of hers; she felt it and looked up at him as Shadow spoke softly. "Because I love you."

Amy looked at him her eyes slightly wide as he moved closer now with his forehead to hers. Suddenly Amy and Shadow were pulled apart as Shadow was dragged away by Falcon. Yang held Amy to keep her from running after him. He pulled Amy to the circle in witch the chaos emeralds were aligned and threw her in the middle of it; he threw her so hard that she hit her head on the metal floor and went into semi-consciousness. Yang stepped into the circle and picked up the egg core and placed it at his feet then he picked up Amy and held her by her shoulders in front of him. "Now all the peaces have come together, finally the world's destruction is only a few moments away." He closed his eyes as the chaos emeralds began to glow one by one.

Knuckles stood there at the end of the line watching the horror take place. At that moment Knuckles was pulled back into the shadows that were created from the glow of the emeralds. We might have yelled but there was a hand over his mouth. "Shh it's okay Knuckles it's me."

They let go of him and he was able to turn around. "Rouge?" He said in a loud whisper. She smiled at him as she used her kick to break Knuckles cuffs. "How'd you fine me?" He asked.

"Just followed the trail of mangled robots and the holes in the wall." She answered as she looked up at him she sighed softly and closed her eyes before returning her view once more to the red echidna. "I'm sorry for what I said I…I was being selfish I truly understand now that you have a job to do and I won't stand in the way of that any longer." She kissed him on his lips lightly and then turned to the middle of the room. Knuckle's face was red as he stared at Rouge for a moment. "Come on Knuckles we have to get the others." Rouge pulled Knuckles towards them. "I'll get Loire and Ying, you get the others." "By the way who are the two new hedgehogs?"

"Believe it or not that's Metal Sonic and Amy."

"What?"

"I'll explain later." Knuckles answered not wanting to go into a long story.

Rouge began to make her move but Knuckles grabbed her arm before Rouge left the safety of the dark shadows. "I'm sorry, but I promise that I'll always be able to protect you."

Rouge looked away from him. "You don't have to do that Knuckles it's not your job." Rouge didn't allow him to say anything else before she disappeared.

Knuckles snuck up behind Metal Sonic and Amy. Metal turned and looked at him. "If I free you will you be any use to me?" Knuckles asked.

"Set us both free and I will make it worth your while." Metal replied.

"Just what I wanted to hear." Knuckles held his barb to the shackles and broke them. Next he crept up behind Falcon who was holding Shadow in place and took his fist and punched him on the head causing him to pass out.

Rouge had already freed Lorie and Ying. "So what should we do now Ying; you know more about this than any of us you should lead."

"What can we do he's only seconds away from absorbing the wrest of the power he needs and then he will be able to do all that he wishes."

Rouge took her hand and slapped Ying, who wasn't really surprised he still looked downward. "I didn't come this far and go through this much to hear that; now think!" He said nothing else. "Fine we'll just have to fight him hand to hand." Rouge did a quick roll across the floor and was at Knuckles side. "So is Metal boy in?"

"Yea and we got the girl too." "What's the plan?"

"Hand to hand is all we got; Ying doesn't know what to do."

Suddenly Yang seemed to grow a hundred times his normal size every inch of his body had turned black accept one thing his eyes had turned red and seemed to glow. The chaos emeralds had lost their glow and Yang dropped Amy's body she was limp and barely breathing. Yang turned to his challengers. "I have the power and I will destroy you now."

Rouge stepped forward standing still for a moment then she ran at Yang. She used her wings and pushed herself upward for a kick to his head but when she touched him a field of electricity covered her body as she screamed in pain and fell t o the floor. The others were right behind her Knuckles had attacked with a punch and ended up the same. Loire had tired to use her electric attack but it seemed to bounce right off of him. Shadow's chaos spear failed, and even Nack had worked up some courage and shot a few bullets but they had no effect.

"Your attacks are useless now who shall be the first to die?" The first to come into his red glare was Loire. "You will be the first to fall." He reached out his hand and picked Loire up. He began to crush her in his grip.

"YING!" Loire screamed as she closed her eyes feeling that her life might end at any moment.

Ying looked up at his brother and the girl that was in his hand. His mind and heart wore torn, his view went black and he closed his eyes but when he reopened them he saw nothing he seemed to be in a white void. Ying heard someone call his name. He turned around and saw Loire standing there she was smiling at him her head turned slightly to the side. "Loire…" He said her name softly at first he tried to touch her but his hand went right through her. "Loire are you…dead?" She only continued to smile at him. She had a bright aurora and she seemed to glow like an angle from heaven. "Who did this to you?" Ying looked at her with his eyes filled with hidden emotion.

Loire put her hand on his and then stepped side ways from where she was standing and when she did Ying saw his own reflection. He was bewildered at first but then he looked back at Loire. "It was me…I did this to you?" She was crying now but her smile remained consent as she looked at him this was a symbol of her undying bound to him no matter what he did she would always care.

Ying shook his head and he opened his eyes for real this time he saw Lorie still trapped in Yang's grip. "No I will not be her murderer!" He pushed himself up and ran toward Yang. "Let her go!"

"Why should I Ying?" Yang questioned.

"Because brother I should be the first to die."


	18. Ying and Yang Make peace

**CHAPTER 18: YING AND YANG MAKE PEACE**

Yang smirked at his brother as he considered this a sign of weakness and fear.

"No one should have to die." The voice came from behind the black giant it was a pink hedgehog. She was different though her soul seemed lighter than before. She had white electricity jumping all around her. Her eyes were now glowing white. "All those years ago it was you who blackened my soul and now you have stolen it from me. I won't let you hurt me again." She ran toward him the filed of white light around her grew as she slammed her hands against Yang's body. There was a huge aurora of bright light.

When the light died down everyone stared for a silent moment. Yang had shrunk quite considerably but he was still big enough to hold Loire in his grip. Amy was lying on the floor all the white light was gone and she seemed to be back to normal. "No matter who should die first I will destroy you now." He reached his free hand toward Amy it was glimmering with a black light his touch would kill her.

His hand touched the being but he could have sworn that before he killed her he saw something move near his palm. When he lifted his hand an evil smile formed on his lips what he saw amused him.

Shadow's body lay over Amy protecting her from harm. Amy's eyes cracked open; she was looking into Shadow's face. She gasped as she pulled herself out from under him and sat weakly at his side. "Shadow…" A few tears escaped her eyes as she held a hand to her mouth.

"Stupid hedgehog giving his own life for yours his outer appearance makes him seem heartless and strong, but he's not because what he did he did out of love." He shook his head. "Love is such a weak feeling making one helpless, frail, and vulnerable it only exists for the purpose of offspring."

"You're wrong."

"Um?" Yang looked in his hand to see Loire's eyes slightly open as she spoke quietly with hardly any strength left.

"Love exists as a strength not a weakness." Loire turned her head so she was facing Ying. "If one can feel love and embrace it, then one can feel power, love is one of the strongest powers anyone could ever hope to find…because it gives a person a reason to live…" Loire closed her eyes as Yang's grip on her body became tighter.

"How would someone such as you know the power of love; what right have you to speak of it?" Yang demanded as his expression showed that of anger.

Loire smiled weakly as she reopened her eyes slightly too once again gaze at Ying. "I know this because I'm in love with your brother Ying."

"What in love with my brother how amusing, no one has ever 'loved' him before but what does it matter knowing that he let the only woman to ever love him die will make his suffering all the greater." Yang began to bring Loire toward his mouth he intend t swallow her and take her life forces as his own.

Ying looked at Loire for a moment then his view quickly darted to Amy. He began to think. 'Her touch must of hurt him because he took the evilness that he had been growing in her from the soul so her soul was once again pure but not perfect if he were to devour a divine soul one of pure goodness then…we would restore balance.' Ying pushed himself from the ground and ran toward Yang.

"Ying what are you doing!" Knuckles yelled.

"I know what I'm doing, Knuckle I need you to call Yang and myself back into the Master Emerald when the moment is right." Ying hurled himself into Yang's mouth and was swallowed. Yang's body began to flicker as he dropped Loire. Rouge did a roll and jump and was able to catch her and return her safely to the ground. Yang stumbled back and forth and he put his hands to his neck as if he were choking. Yang's body then began to disintegrate into particles of white and black light the atoms spun together in a twister of light. Knuckles stepped forward and brought out the clear shell of the Mater Emerald he held it up above his head. "I call back the balance of Ying and Yang too the Master Emerald!" The light twister spun toward the gem and was engulfed. The Master Emerald once again grew to its normal size and a huge pulse of energy jolted from the stone it was so powerful that it cracked all the walls and the building began to shake.

"Knuckles!"

Knuckles turned to see who was calling his name it was Rouge she was sitting at the computer that was to the left of the alter. "I've been trying to find away out of here but I just stumbled on to a bigger problem."

"Yea I know this place is about to fall apart!" Knuckles said in a loud voice as he leaned in behind Rouge to he could see what she was looking at on the computer screen.

"Well it's not goanna fall fast enough because someone set up a self-destruction bomb to go off in about two minutes." "If we could stop the bomb we would at least have a chance to get out of here."

"Well can't you disable it?" Knuckles questioned.

"That'd be easy but the bomb's password protected I can't do anything to it without the password." Rouge continued typing trying to think of the password. "I don't know what Yang could have chosen as the password, but what's really weird is that the timer was set to go off in two hours but this bomb doesn't play into Yang's plan."

"Maybe it wasn't Yang who set up the bomb."

"Then that doesn't make any senses the black wolf seems to loyal to do this, and all the robots are self obedient so who else could have done it?"

"The only other person to have messed with this stuff was…" Knuckles couldn't believe it.

"Who Knuckles who was it?"

"Amy."

"What why would she-?"

"I don't know."

Rouge stood up from the chair and ran toward Amy, who at the moment was sitting next to Shadow her hand gently caressing his face. "Amy the bomb we gotta stop it I know you set it up, why!" Amy was still looking at Shadow her face covered with tears. "AMY answer me!"

Amy jerked her head up at Rouge she was crying uncontrollably as she screamed her answer. "What does it matter we're all going to die anyway?"

Rouge slapped Amy. "Stop it!" "We're not goanna die, what's the password?"

Amy looked back down at Shadow and laid her head on his chest not speaking. "Amy tell her…" Amy's head flung up as she looked down at Shadow his eyes were slightly open. "I don't want you to die please tell her the password I don't want the only person I've ever loved to die like this."

Amy closed her eyes as more tears fell. "The password is…'alone'."

**Chapter 19: Saying our Goodbyes **

Rouge ran to the computer not much time was left she quickly typed in the password. "Rouge are you going to be able to stop it?" Knuckles questioned.

"What'd ya mean I'm done." Rouge answered as she stood up from the computer. "Now come on lets get out of here!" Rouge had ran back to Amy was helping her hold up Shadow, Knuckles had gotten Nack, Metal, and Metal Amy back on their feet. They were all moving toward the door when suddenly the wall caved and the only exit was blocked.

"Knuckles what do we do?" Rouge looked at him desperately.

"We pray." Knuckles replied as he looked around for another way out but it was hopeless.

"Come to me." Knuckles and the others head a voice it was strange though it was Yings voice. They all faced the Master Emerald its glow was even more luminescent than before. "You must gather around the emerald and I will protect you." They all hesitated but did as they were told. The seven of them surrounded the giant stone and a barrier of white light engulfed them. They all thought they were done for but what they found was that they were safe. They each opened their eyes slowly to see that the building around them was falling to the ground and even on top of them but they were unharmed. Rouge was sitting close to the stone here breathing was heavy like she was deeply afraid.

Knuckles was beside the white bat and was fearing for her. "Rouge what's wrong?"

"Nothing I'm fine." Rouge closed her eyes tighter and she had begun to sweat terribly and she was trembling like an earthquake.

Knuckles put his arms around her and pulled her body to his. "No you're not; tell me what's wrong Rouge."

"I'm…claustrophobic." Rouge pulled herself from him and got up on her weak legs. "I can't stand this small space any more I need to get out!" Rouge was getting hysterical she couldn't stand small spaces and the barrier had made the space around them very small. Rouge began beating on the barrier. "Let me out I'd rather die than stay in here please!" Rouge had no idea what she was saying she was just yelling and acting with fear.

Knuckles grabbed Rouge from behind and pulled her back down. "Rouge stop you don't know what you're asking!" She was squirming trying to escape his grip. He pulled her closer and whispered in her ear. "Rouge it's going to be ok don't worry please stop. It'll all be over soon." Rouge's eyes were still closed tight as she began to settle a bit she wrapped her arms around Knuckles neck and held to him as if her life depended on it. She didn't resist him she was embracing him now.

Finally the building had crumbled completely and the barrier that protected them faded. They all looked around and saw they had survived. Rouge was still grasping Knuckles tightly he didn't ask to be released instead he just brought her more into the embrace as if reassuring her that it was all over.

Amy was sitting on the ground Shadow's head resting in her lap. She was gently caressing his temples her tears were falling silently now. Shadow had passed out again when Amy pulled him into the protective shield but now he was coming around again. His eyes cracked opened slightly he had a gentle expression on his face as he looked up at her. "Amy don't cry please."

Amy laid her head across his shoulder so that it rested on his upper chest. "I can't help it I don't want you die."

"He's not going anywhere." Amy sat up and looked in front of her to see a glowing figure standing there it was Ying or more so now that he was bonded with Yang again he was called Peace. He looked at Shadow and then kneeled down beside him. "You have given much to ensure that the one you love and the world she lives in remains safe. You do not deserve death and you no longer wish for it like once did." "You've learned what life is really about and I want to help you." Ying held his hand out to the largest wound on Shadow's body which was a huge burn on his side. Then Ying waved his hand over it. The movement was slow but reviled that white sparkling dust was forming over each wound on Shadow's body and then in one flash Shadow's whole body was glowing white. When the light extinguished Amy looked down to see that Shadow was now unharmed in all matter of speaking.

He flickered open his eyes and sat up. "I feel okay I don't feel like I'm going to die now." Shadow was looking himself up and down and then he turned to Peace. "Thank you."

"No thank you without your help I never would have been able to stop my brother." Peace stood up and looked around. "I never would have been able to do this without all of you…my friends." "Now I have one last thing I need to take care of." He stood up on his feet. "Tell me Amy and Shadow where do you want to be where do you want to go?"

Amy and Shadow looked at each other and smiled and then they looked back at Peace. Shadow spoke for both of them. "You know just surprise us."

Ying bowed his head in approval he waved his hand over both of them and in that instant the two disappeared in a burst of light and energy. Next the glowing being walked to the two hedgehogs leaning against the wall. "You two were also of good help where is it you whish to go?"

Metal ceased leaning on the wall and stood fully. "You can send us to Eggman's old lair that'll be a good home for us." He took Metal Amy's hand and pulled her to his side. Ying smiled at their happiness and then pointed his palm at them and just as Shadow and Amy did, the two had vanished.

Peace next came to Rouge. She had found herself and was able to release her grip around Knuckles neck. She took to her feet as did Knuckles when Peace was standing before them. "Now it is your turn." "Where would you like to go?"

"I just wanna go home. Maybe start the healing process." She looked at Knuckles out of the corner of her eye.

Peace nodded. "Oh and when you do return home all will be as you left it the damages have been taken care of."

"Thanks Peace." Rouge closed her eyes and then with a wave of Peaces hand Rouge vanished.

"Knuckles I'll be with you in a minute I still have one more thing to take care of first." He now moved toward someone in a corner, she was a girl a beautiful young coyote. In Peaces eyes she was just another girl who deserved something in return for her assistance. "Loire isn't it?"

The girl was leaning into the peace of the corner that was left of the building she need the support her body was so very weak. "Yes it is." Her knees began to bend as she slid downward a bit.

"Let me help you with that." Peace put his hand to her and the pain disappeared like magic. He watched her as she stood now on her feet before him. "Tell me Loire where do you wanna go what is it you want?"

"There's no where else I want to be accept right here and what I want is something I know I can not have." She looked into Peaces eyes hoping to see the reminisce of Ying within them. "There is one thing you can do for me that only you can."

"What would this be?"

"Please let me see Ying one last time that's all I ask of you."

"I can not do that."

"Please I'm begging you just let me see him before you take him back into the emerald." Her eyes filled with tears as she pleaded to see her love one last time.

Peace stood there his mind turning. "Alright you may see him one last time." "But only for a moment." In that second Peace flashed with a golden light causing Lorie to cover her eyes.

When she reopened them she saw that she was in a white void and Ying was standing there in front of her, his body glowing with a familiar white light. He smiled and came close to her he put the back of his hand to her face and let it gently slid down it a few times. He closed his eyes slightly as he spoke. "Why'd you want too see me again?"

"Because…" Her voice stifled a bit from the tears that were flowing down her cheeks. "I love you." She wrapped her arms around him embracing him and crying without control. "Please…don't go."

Ying pulled her into him tightly and rested his head on top of hers. "I'm sorry things have to be this way Loire." The area around them began to blink as it started to dissolve. "I love you Loire remember that." He looked around and released her although she still held him tightly. "I have to go."

"No don't leave me." Loire cried. Ying's body seemed to turn to dust and it blew into a spinning tunnel that was in front of her. "Ying!" Loire opened her eyes she was back in the real world again. She was still standing before Peace her face stained with tears. "Thank you Peace." She sunk down into the corner her thoughts still on 'him'.

Peace now stood in front of the Master Emerald. "Knuckles I'm ready to return to the Master Emerald now."

Knuckles nodded and walked to the stone. He held his hands up and closed his eyes and then he began to concentrate. "Bring forth the powers of good and evil and return them to their shell." Peace dissolved away and back into the gem which began to glow its normal shade of green as its powers were returned.

Knuckles turned his back to the stone and then leaned against it sliding to the floor. It was two minutes before he began to hear Peaces voice in his head. "Knuckles I forgot to ask you is there something you want?" Knuckles didn't answer the only thing that happened were flashbacks. Memories of Rouge were blinking through his head. "That young lady is what you desire." Knuckles head was brought up in attention. "Knuckles if she is truly what you want then why didn't you go with her?"

"You of all people should know that I can't do that." "I have a duty to the Master Emerald."

"Not any longer." Knuckles was confused. "Weren't you listening to the young coyotes wish?"

"What?" Knuckles questioned.

"She whishes to remain here she will protect the Master Emerald in your place. She seems to have a liking for one of my brothers and I think she believes this is the closest she can be to him." "It has been the echidna clan's job for centuries…but I think it's time we tried letting another be the guardian." "You have been the Master Emerald's protector long enough you can do as you wish now."

Knuckles shook his head he found he was still on the ground and Loire was standing in front of him. "Loire is it true?"

"Yes I will be the gems guardian now. I've spent half my life looking for a reason to live and now he's trapped inside this stone." She put her hand to the glowing gem. "So now I will take care of this emerald and keep it and him safe because that's the best I have to offer him now." She kept her hand on the gem and looked at Knuckles. "You're free now."


	19. Saying Goodbyes

**CHAPTER 19: SAYING GOODBYES **

Rouge ran to the computer not much time was left she quickly typed in the password. "Rouge are you going to be able to stop it?" Knuckles questioned.

"What'd ya mean I'm done." Rouge answered as she stood up from the computer. "Now come on lets get out of here!" Rouge had ran back to Amy was helping her hold up Shadow, Knuckles had gotten Nack, Metal, and Metal Amy back on their feet. They were all moving toward the door when suddenly the wall caved and the only exit was blocked.

"Knuckles what do we do?" Rouge looked at him desperately.

"We pray." Knuckles replied as he looked around for another way out but it was hopeless.

"Come to me." Knuckles and the others head a voice it was strange though it was Yings voice. They all faced the Master Emerald its glow was even more luminescent than before. "You must gather around the emerald and I will protect you." They all hesitated but did as they were told. The seven of them surrounded the giant stone and a barrier of white light engulfed them. They all thought they were done for but what they found was that they were safe. They each opened their eyes slowly to see that the building around them was falling to the ground and even on top of them but they were unharmed. Rouge was sitting close to the stone here breathing was heavy like she was deeply afraid.

Knuckles was beside the white bat and was fearing for her. "Rouge what's wrong?"

"Nothing I'm fine." Rouge closed her eyes tighter and she had begun to sweat terribly and she was trembling like an earthquake.

Knuckles put his arms around her and pulled her body to his. "No you're not; tell me what's wrong Rouge."

"I'm…claustrophobic." Rouge pulled herself from him and got up on her weak legs. "I can't stand this small space any more I need to get out!" Rouge was getting hysterical she couldn't stand small spaces and the barrier had made the space around them very small. Rouge began beating on the barrier. "Let me out I'd rather die than stay in here please!" Rouge had no idea what she was saying she was just yelling and acting with fear.

Knuckles grabbed Rouge from behind and pulled her back down. "Rouge stop you don't know what you're asking!" She was squirming trying to escape his grip. He pulled her closer and whispered in her ear. "Rouge it's going to be ok don't worry please stop. It'll all be over soon." Rouge's eyes were still closed tight as she began to settle a bit she wrapped her arms around Knuckles neck and held to him as if her life depended on it. She didn't resist him she was embracing him now.

Finally the building had crumbled completely and the barrier that protected them faded. They all looked around and saw they had survived. Rouge was still grasping Knuckles tightly he didn't ask to be released instead he just brought her more into the embrace as if reassuring her that it was all over.

Amy was sitting on the ground Shadow's head resting in her lap. She was gently caressing his temples her tears were falling silently now. Shadow had passed out again when Amy pulled him into the protective shield but now he was coming around again. His eyes cracked opened slightly he had a gentle expression on his face as he looked up at her. "Amy don't cry please."

Amy laid her head across his shoulder so that it rested on his upper chest. "I can't help it I don't want you die."

"He's not going anywhere." Amy sat up and looked in front of her to see a glowing figure standing there it was Ying or more so now that he was bonded with Yang again he was called Peace. He looked at Shadow and then kneeled down beside him. "You have given much to ensure that the one you love and the world she lives in remains safe. You do not deserve death and you no longer wish for it like once did." "You've learned what life is really about and I want to help you." Ying held his hand out to the largest wound on Shadow's body which was a huge burn on his side. Then Ying waved his hand over it. The movement was slow but reviled that white sparkling dust was forming over each wound on Shadow's body and then in one flash Shadow's whole body was glowing white. When the light extinguished Amy looked down to see that Shadow was now unharmed in all matter of speaking.

He flickered open his eyes and sat up. "I feel okay I don't feel like I'm going to die now." Shadow was looking himself up and down and then he turned to Peace. "Thank you."

"No thank you without your help I never would have been able to stop my brother." Peace stood up and looked around. "I never would have been able to do this without all of you…my friends." "Now I have one last thing I need to take care of." He stood up on his feet. "Tell me Amy and Shadow where do you want to be where do you want to go?"

Amy and Shadow looked at each other and smiled and then they looked back at Peace. Shadow spoke for both of them. "You know just surprise us."

Ying bowed his head in approval he waved his hand over both of them and in that instant the two disappeared in a burst of light and energy. Next the glowing being walked to the two hedgehogs leaning against the wall. "You two were also of good help where is it you whish to go?"

Metal ceased leaning on the wall and stood fully. "You can send us to Eggman's old lair that'll be a good home for us." He took Metal Amy's hand and pulled her to his side. Ying smiled at their happiness and then pointed his palm at them and just as Shadow and Amy did, the two had vanished.

Peace next came to Rouge. She had found herself and was able to release her grip around Knuckles neck. She took to her feet as did Knuckles when Peace was standing before them. "Now it is your turn." "Where would you like to go?"

"I just wanna go home. Maybe start the healing process." She looked at Knuckles out of the corner of her eye.

Peace nodded. "Oh and when you do return home all will be as you left it the damages have been taken care of."

"Thanks Peace." Rouge closed her eyes and then with a wave of Peaces hand Rouge vanished.

"Knuckles I'll be with you in a minute I still have one more thing to take care of first." He now moved toward someone in a corner, she was a girl a beautiful young coyote. In Peaces eyes she was just another girl who deserved something in return for her assistance. "Loire isn't it?"

The girl was leaning into the peace of the corner that was left of the building she need the support her body was so very weak. "Yes it is." Her knees began to bend as she slid downward a bit.

"Let me help you with that." Peace put his hand to her and the pain disappeared like magic. He watched her as she stood now on her feet before him. "Tell me Loire where do you wanna go what is it you want?"

"There's no where else I want to be accept right here and what I want is something I know I can not have." She looked into Peaces eyes hoping to see the reminisce of Ying within them. "There is one thing you can do for me that only you can."

"What would this be?"

"Please let me see Ying one last time that's all I ask of you."

"I can not do that."

"Please I'm begging you just let me see him before you take him back into the emerald." Her eyes filled with tears as she pleaded to see her love one last time.

Peace stood there his mind turning. "Alright you may see him one last time." "But only for a moment." In that second Peace flashed with a golden light causing Lorie to cover her eyes.

When she reopened them she saw that she was in a white void and Ying was standing there in front of her, his body glowing with a familiar white light. He smiled and came close to her he put the back of his hand to her face and let it gently slid down it a few times. He closed his eyes slightly as he spoke. "Why'd you want too see me again?"

"Because…" Her voice stifled a bit from the tears that were flowing down her cheeks. "I love you." She wrapped her arms around him embracing him and crying without control. "Please…don't go."

Ying pulled her into him tightly and rested his head on top of hers. "I'm sorry things have to be this way Loire." The area around them began to blink as it started to dissolve. "I love you Loire remember that." He looked around and released her although she still held him tightly. "I have to go."

"No don't leave me." Loire cried. Ying's body seemed to turn to dust and it blew into a spinning tunnel that was in front of her. "Ying!" Loire opened her eyes she was back in the real world again. She was still standing before Peace her face stained with tears. "Thank you Peace." She sunk down into the corner her thoughts still on 'him'.

Peace now stood in front of the Master Emerald. "Knuckles I'm ready to return to the Master Emerald now."

Knuckles nodded and walked to the stone. He held his hands up and closed his eyes and then he began to concentrate. "Bring forth the powers of good and evil and return them to their shell." Peace dissolved away and back into the gem which began to glow its normal shade of green as its powers were returned.

Knuckles turned his back to the stone and then leaned against it sliding to the floor. It was two minutes before he began to hear Peaces voice in his head. "Knuckles I forgot to ask you is there something you want?" Knuckles didn't answer the only thing that happened were flashbacks. Memories of Rouge were blinking through his head. "That young lady is what you desire." Knuckles head was brought up in attention. "Knuckles if she is truly what you want then why didn't you go with her?"

"You of all people should know that I can't do that." "I have a duty to the Master Emerald."

"Not any longer." Knuckles was confused. "Weren't you listening to the young coyotes wish?"

"What?" Knuckles questioned.

"She whishes to remain here she will protect the Master Emerald in your place. She seems to have a liking for one of my brothers and I think she believes this is the closest she can be to him." "It has been the echidna clan's job for centuries…but I think it's time we tried letting another be the guardian." "You have been the Master Emerald's protector long enough you can do as you wish now."

Knuckles shook his head he found he was still on the ground and Loire was standing in front of him. "Loire is it true?"

"Yes I will be the gems guardian now. I've spent half my life looking for a reason to live and now he's trapped inside this stone." She put her hand to the glowing gem. "So now I will take care of this emerald and keep it and him safe because that's the best I have to offer him now." She kept her hand on the gem and looked at Knuckles. "You're free now."


	20. Chapter 20: Endings

**Chapter 20: Endings**

Nack appeared in front a balcony he was sitting on his hover bike. He stepped off slowly and walked up to the sliding glass door. He looked in to see the apartment on the other side he sighed. "Don't tell me I'm late for being late." His attention was suddenly pulled back to the other side of the glass. He saw a beautiful fox appear from one of the doorways. Nack pressed his face closer to the glass he couldn't see what she was wearing underneath that short silky robe. She turned to the door when she noticed an out of place shadow being cast onto the floor. She tilled her head to the side a bit she thought she was seeing things at first but upon realizing he was real she sat down on the couch and looked forward crossing her arms as she did so. She was still quit angry with him for standing her up. He closed his eyes slightly and pulled on the door luckily it was unlocked. He stepped into the room. She shot a quick look at him before turning away again. He sat down beside her; feeling for once in his life a new kind of nervousness. He'd never felt like this around a girl. "Tessa I'm sorry about all this." He looked up to her only to see her head still facing forward not daring to look at him fully. "I think it's only fair for you to know that I thought about you all this time. Even though my life was on the line all I could think about was how I let you down." A blush suddenly appeared on Tessa's faces she looked down only to see that Nack had got to his knees on the floor and had his head in her lap. "I'm sorry okay can you forgive me?" Nack was surprised with himself he'd never gotten emotional before especially when it came to the feelings of some female.

"Nack…" She spoke his name but that was all for the moment. She was actually quit speechless she hadn't expected to ever see him again and now here he was apologizing and even begging for her forgiveness.

He stood up and took her hand in his. "Come with me." He pulled her up and towards the door. Tessa followed willingly as he led her out onto the balcony. He brought her to his hover bike he sat down first and then gently placed her in front of him so she was seated sidesaddle. He let his arms flow around her to the handle bars of the bike. He felt her flinch in his grip. He looked down with soft expression on his face. "Don't worry everything's gonna be fine." He twisted the gears on the left handle bar causing the engine to start. The bike lifted into the air and took off into the open air. He was looking ahead but he began to speak to Tessa once again. "I know that you trusted me and I messed up and I'm sorry. Can you give me one more chance?" He looked down at her a bit of a smile on his face. "This time I promise not to get abduct by some mad deranged freak who wants to take over the world." Tessa cracked a smile and then she pulled Nack into a kiss. When she ended the kiss Nack looked forward again a smile was now across his muzzle. "Hold on to me."

She did as he said and He pushed the gears on the left handle forward and the bike took off into the sky. He was going higher and higher. He did an aerial twist and then flipped the bike. Tessa screamed with excitement as he turned the nose of the bike back towards the ground and began a dive. He pushed his muzzle into her neck. "Don't close your eyes." He kissed her neck softly as he watched the on coming skyscrapers through slightly shut eyes. Tessa blushed as she tried not to close her eyes. They were so close she could almost make out their reflection on the glass roof of the skyscrapers she was about to closer her eyes when suddenly they became wide instead when she felt Nack bit on neck in a sweet passionate way. Then before she realized it he pulled the bike up and they were flying horizontally again. "That wasn't so bad was it?" He backed up off of her a bit. They were now landing back on the wide balcony of her apartment. He got off and helped her down and walked to the door with her. She stood in the frame of the door both her hands in his as Nack stood there smiling at her. "I just wanted you to know how I felt about all this." He dropped her hands and began to turn away and head for his bike. "I guess you need some time to think all over so-" He was stopped by a hand holding him by his wrist. He turned around. Tessa was smiling as she took both his hands in hers and slowly began to back into the apartment pulling him with her. She smiled a slightly seductive smile. Nack returned it with a light hearted grin. The door to the apartment shut and the blinds closed as all the lights were turned off.

Shadow sat in a tree his hands behind his head as he relaxed against the trunk. He opened his eyes and looked down to see Amy had returned. "Everything okay?" He questioned through only one opened eye now.

"Everything's perfect." She looked up at him a hand on her hip as she smiled. "Well almost perfect." He grinned and jumped down from the tree. He wrapped his arms around her and kissed her passionately. She kissed him back and then let her forehead rest against his. "Now it's perfect." She suddenly jerked from him and began running south. "Race you to the Temples!" She yelled as she ran. Shadow smiled as he took off after her.

Metal looked over some schematics as he waited for Metal Amy to return. "The works complete." Metal Amy's voice came from behind him.

"Good." He walked over to a large switch on the wall and flipped it. The lair came to life with the buzzing of machinery and bright lights. "Good work Amae (pronounced: Ah-may)" Amae was her new name she didn't want him to have to call her metal Amy all the time so she gave herself a new one but his name stuck to much he still called himself Metal just as she did.

"What now Metal?" She stood beside him looking down at the table.

"Now we do what we were programmed to do." He grinned he still used techno terms even though they weren't robots anymore. "We destroy Sonic the hedgehog."

Lorie sat against the stone. She was in a beautiful meadow somewhere and she looked up and saw Ying walking toward her. She smiled and jumped to her feet. She ran to him and he welcomed her with open arms. She smiled and cried softly as he held her tightly and she gripped him as though never wanting to let go. Then her eyes flickered open. She sighed and ran her hand across the gem another dream had come and gone. She looked down tears streaming from her cheeks. She pressed her forehead to the gem and some of her tears ran down its side.

Her ears twitched as she heard Ying's voice in her head "I love you."

She closed her eyes again. "I know…I know."

"Lorie…" She could hear him still calling her name. "Remember this…in-" He seemed to be in pain as he tried to make contact with her.

"What; what are you trying to tell me?" She pressed her hands against the gem trying to understand.

'In five years – uh – something will –ack-" He sounded as if someone was attempting to strangle him. "remember nothings always what it seems uh…" "Remember tha-" His voice faded he was gone from contact.

"Ying no, wait come back what's going to happen in 5 years!?" She banged on the emerald. "Please come back! What's not always as it seems Ying, YING!"

Rouge stood on the roof of her apartment complex. She was watching the sun go down. She felt a deep emptiness inside she felt so sad she felt alone. What was left for her in this world all she really wanted had walked out of her life forever and she had nothing now, but a lonely apartment and jewels that she liked but they could never lover her back. "Where do I go from here…"

Knuckles ran as fast as he could there wasn't a moment that he'd stopped and thought about what he'd say what'd do or even if she'd take him back after all that'd happened. He just kept running and hoping that she was still there. He had just reached the apartment building and was running up the stairs to get to the penthouse at the top.

Rouge spread her wings. "There's nothing left for me here…anything I might find I won't find by waiting here." She began to flap and soared toward the setting sun.

Knuckles was exhausted he finally reached her door and opened it to his luck she hadn't locked it. He ran inside. "Rouge!" "Rouge where are you?" He didn't see here anywhere. He turned quickly and went outside where he climbed up onto the roof. "Rouge?" He looked all around but she was gone. "No…Rouge…you really are gone." He collapsed to his knees. Tears began to steak down his face. "I'm sorry I was…to late for you…" He looked out into the sun which was over halfway hidden behind the horizon. "Rouge…" His eyes began to close slowly and he fell forward in ravenous fatigue. "Please forgive me…"

END

Okay everybody I first want say YES I finally finished this story! (sorry it took so long)

Next I want to make a public aplogoy for laying down on the job for so long. I was in a slum, a writer's block, cursed with mental fatigue, out of ideas, clueless, however you wanna say it. AND I'm very sorry that I've been slacking off. I guess I just thought no body read my stories so if I slacked nobody would notice. I was wrong. ; and you know what I'm glad I was wrong. I got some awesome reviews that really inspired me to go back to work. I promise to try to do better.

**Last but not least**! This story ending kinda changed because I'm considering a sequel. I'll need some feed back and see if I should make one or not. So if you want more of LPB then review and say "YES I want a sequel!" check u later u guys.

!Peace out!


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